IDA Ireland welcomes Abbott expansion

IDA Ireland, together with taoiseach Micheál Martin and tánaiste Leo Varadkar, has welcomed news that Abbott is to construct a new greenfield manufacturing facility in Kilkenny and further invest in its Donegal Diabetes Care site.

The project represents an investment of €440 million which may create 1,000 jobs between the two sites and is supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland.

The new 250,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility, which will be located on the IDA Business and Technology Park in Loughboy, Kilkenny, subject to planning permission, will give Abbott the capacity to increase production of its FreeStyle Libre technology for people with diabetes.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said: “This new investment by Abbott in Donegal and Kilkenny is hugely welcome news, bringing up to 1,000 highly skilled jobs and expanded medtech manufacturing capacity.

“Abbott has a long and successful history, first establishing operations in Ireland in 1946, and this new investment is a great vote of confidence in the workforce here, and in this country as a place to invest. I wish all the team at Abbott every continued success in its endeavours in the years to come.”