Pharmaceutical company Pharmadel has announced plans to create more than 4,500 pharmaceutical research jobs in Co Kerry.
Pharmadel announced that up to 400 jobs will be created in advance of opening, with more than 4,500 jobs envisaged when the centre is operational.
The pharma company is in talks with the Saudi Arabian government about funding the entire cost of the €4.7bn project, insisting that funding from the Irish Government will not be sought.
According to its website, the operation will offer the “largest single employment placements on the island of Ireland” and the “largest research and development centre in the world”.
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An Taoiseach Brian Cowen said he supported the plan that would see the largest pharmaceutical research centre in the world (1.2m sq feet) located in the Tralee industrial park.
Cowen sent assurances that the Government would lend the expertise of State enterprise agencies to the venture in order to bring it closer to completion.
The centre, subject to its planning applications, is planned to open in February 2013.
