The Government is planning a £4 million upgrade of Galway Airport, according to the Minister of State for the Environment, Mr Bobby Molloy. The money will be spent mainly on extending the airport's runway from 1,350 to 1,600 metres, so that it can accommodate larger aircraft.
The upgrade is believed to have been one of the main reasons for Boston Scientific's decision to expand in Galway.
The funding will come from the Department of Public Enterprise and local businesses.
The plan still requires final approval from the Minister for Public Enterprise, Ms O'Rourke, but Mr Molloy said he did envisage any difficulty.
Accessibility to Galway was the subject of lengthy discussions at a private meeting yesterday between Boston Scientific executives and Government representatives. Sources say the acquisition of land surrounding Galway Airport still has to be considered, but when this has been concluded the building of the new runway should take less than a year.
Mr Bernard Collins, vice-president of Boston Scientific international operations, said the airport had become "extremely important" since the establishment of the company's research and development facility in the city this summer.
Mr Molloy was speaking after formally announcing Boston Scientific's 1,000 new jobs for Galway.
He said he was delighted that the company's latest expansion would bring employment at the Galway plant to 2,500 by the end of the decade. "Since the establishment of their Irish operation in Galway in 1994, they have achieved all targets at each stage of development, three years ahead of projections, due to unprecedented strong growth for the company's products," he said. "We here in Galway are very proud of the success achieved in the corporation's plant and see today's announcement as a ringing vote of confidence by the company in the capabilities of the Galway workforce. Their quality, skills, productivity and flexibility have contributed to the exceptional success already achieved."
Mr David Tuohy, the general manager of the Galway plant, praised the level of co-operation which the Government, IDA, and educational institutions had shown to the company since its arrival here three years ago.
"All of these things have come together for us and I hope we are a good example of what can be achieved in this country," said Mr Tuohy.