A LEADING US healthcare and bio pharmaceutical firm employing 2,300 people in Cork, has announced it will create an additional 800 jobs developing a €400m manufacturing facility in Limerick, subject to planning permission.

Lilly is to employ 300 staff at its to be built plant at the Raheen Business Park and 500 people during the construction phase.

The company is seeking highly skilled workers including engineers, scientists, and operations personnel, who will use the latest biologics manufacturing technology to produce life-changing treatments, including a promising Alzheimer’s portfolio.

Lilly is to submit a planning application for the new manufacturing facility to Limerick City and County Council in the coming weeks.

The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise Trade & Employment, Leo Varadkar, welcomed Lilly’s move to Limerick which, he said “has become a real hub for leading biopharma companies”.

Fantastic news for Limerick today. Subject to planning, @LillyPad has chosen Limerick for its new manufacturing centre, investing over €400m and creating 300 new, permanent jobs over next 4 yrs and 500 jobs during construction. Congratulations to the entire team pic.twitter.com/KFMhzR8M6J

— Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) January 28, 2022

Limerick Fine Gael Senator, Kieran O’Donnell welcomed Lilly to Shannonside, “and I wish them every success with this very ambitious and exciting investment here, which is a great news day for Limerick City and the Raheen, Dooyadoyle and Mungret area”.

“An investment of this magnitude, in terms of both capital and job creation is a serious statement of confidence in what ‘Brand Limerick’ has to offer as a strategic business location, including both the quality of the available workforce and the graduates from our local third level institutions.”

Fáilte go Luimneach, @LillyPad 🟢⚪️ Massive announcement for #Limerick this morning with confirmation from @LeoVaradkar that @LillyPad is investing €400million in our region creating 300 jobs! Amazing way to start the year. @IDAIRELAND @IDA_MidWest

— Patrick O'Donovan (@podonovan) January 28, 2022

Lilly’s president of manufacturing operations, Edgardo Hernandez said: “Over the past 40 years, we have continued to invest in Ireland in part because of supportive government policies that value life science innovation.

“This new Lilly campus in Limerick will allow us to expand our capacity to make innovative new medicines that can help treat some of the world’s most serious illnesses.”

Lilly has been operating in Ireland since 1978 and currently has over 2,300 employees at a manufacturing campus at Kinsale, a global business services centre at Little Island in County Cork, and a commercial team dispersed across the country.