R&D consortium got better deal in Tralee

A breach of trust between the Republic’s Industrial Development Authority (IDA) and the developers of a 4,800 jobs-boosting life science centre had led to Londonderry being considered a frontrunner location for the Global Pharmaceutical Centre of Excellence (GPCE).

The first phase of GPCE was due to open in Tralee last month subject to environmental, planning and legal regulations but those behind the massive centre, which would have been the largest single place of employment on the island once completed, were considering Londonderry as a potential location.

But GPCE Chief Executive Rory Doyle yesterday revealed that a scaled down version of the project will now go ahead in Tralee, with Londonderry losing out on the first phase at least.

Speaking on local radio he said that: “unfortunately at this stage, economics won out.”

Those proposing the 4.7billion euro GPCE centre - that projects 4,380 graduates, 116 leading academic professors and 321 corporate management executives at a new 1million square feet facility - visited Londonderry and met with Invest NI, University of Ulster, C-Tric and local elected representatives to consider locating here.

Invest NI’s Acting Director of Life Sciences and Creative, Stephen Wightman, privately advised Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster and her Special Advisor Andrew Crawford that: “Londonderry is being considered as a potential location. GPCE’s overall aim is to recruit 4,800 staff over the next three years for a new 1million square feet facility.

“The potential scale of this project will require detailed due diligence to be undertaken by Invest NI and, although requested on a number of occasions, a business plan is still to be presented with details of the proposal.

“This venture will be delivered over a number of phases, with the first phase seeking to create 282 positions, in order to serve three initial contracts.

“The company had originally chosen Tralee, Co Kerry, as the location of this project, however, it is now considering placing it in Londonderry.”