Medical device company to invest Û1m in research

One of the city’s major medical device employers is investing in Research and Development projects with NUI Galway.

Covidien, a leading global supplier of healthcare products which employs approximately 300 in Galway, announced that it is investing €900,000 in medical technologies research and development projects with NUI Galway, during the next two years.

This is the first phase of a multi-part investment of €1.8 million with Irish academic institutions which Covidien announced in July. There will be no additional jobs created at its Mervue plant as a result of this announcement, which was made in Dublin on Monday.

Minister for Health Mary Harney attended the announcement and said, “University based facilities enabled by this collaboration with Covidien will help to ensure that Ireland continues to produce high-quality researchers who can innovate new technologies and design robust scientific research. This ultimately produces the valuable data that furthers patient health and safety.”

Speaking about Covidien’s investment, Scott Flora, President, Surgical Devices, Covidien, said, “The medical devices sector in Ireland has a legacy of innovative products and is of critical importance to the country’s economic recovery. We are dedicated to R&D in partnership with IDA Ireland. We believe the medical devices and health sectors will be a thriving part of Ireland’s business growth and high-technology job creation in the future.”

Through these collaborative programs, Covidien hopes to incentivise students to choose science as a career and promote the continued growth and prosperity of the medical devices sector in Ireland.

For more, read this week's Connacht Sentinel.