The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Council demands answers on pharma firm’s plans
COUNCILLORS in Tralee are seeking urgent clarification from the IDA about a UK pharmaceutical packaging firm’s plans to open a plant in Tralee.
In December 2018, Bedford-based Central Pharma – a world leader in the outsourced packaging and supply of medicines – announced that it was to move into the IDA-built €5million Advance Manufacturing Facility at Kerry Technology Park.
The company announced it would create 100 jobs and invest some €2million to bring the building up to the required standards, with the high-tech packaging plant expected to be up and running by July 2019.
A year after the plant was due to open, it remains empty. Last January it emerged that the company had told the IDA it was delaying its plans for Tralee.
However, since then there has been no official comment on the situation from either Central Pharma or the IDA.
The IDA has said only that it was ‘disappointed’ by the delay and would continue to work with Central Pharma to ensure the project goes ahead.
At Monday’s monthly meeting of the Tralee
Municipal District, Fine Gael Councillor Jim Finucane asked management to demand an urgent update on the situation from the IDA.
“This is an asset that cost several million Euro and it’s still empty,” said Cllr Finucane.
“It beggars belief that such a major piece of infrastructure is in ‘no man’s land’. This is turning out to be a bit of a débâcle,” he said.
Cllr Finucane said the IDA has to be called into the Chamber to tell councillors, “What is the situation? Who has the lease and what’s happening?”
At the high-profile jobs announcement at Ballygarry Hotel in December 2018, Central Pharma CEO Alwyn Smit said the company had ambitious plans for the Tralee site.
Mr Smit said Central Phara envisaged that a supply warehouse – which would create significant additional employment – will eventually be built adjacent to the factory.
At the time, he said the company had already secured an option on the neighbouring site to allow for future expansion.
The potential for expansion was a key factor in why Central Pharma had opted to locate in Kerry and not in Cork, where much of the Irish Pharmaceutical industry is based, Mr Smit said.