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Biopharma

Why Ireland for pharma investment

  • Be part of an established ecosystem for pharmaceutical and biopharma activity, combining technology, talent and research

  • We offer regulatory stability, sub-supply capability, a multicultural workforce and collaboration opportunities with industry partners

Source the skills you need to make your investment in Ireland a success

Connect with us

Source the skills you need to make your investment in Ireland a success

Connect with us
Factory Building

A Global Pharma Leader

Ireland’s life sciences sector has a global reputation for operational and innovational excellence. Leading industry names including Novartis, AbbVie, Janssen, Pfizer, Sanofi, Lilly, AstraZeneca, MSD, Bristol Myers Squibb and Takeda have significant operations here.

  • 90+ pharmaceutical companies operate in Ireland
  • 45,000 people employed in IDA client companies
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An Exporting Powerhouse

Ireland is the world’s third largest exporter of pharmaceuticals, according to the UN International Trade Statistics database. The sector continues to evolve, expanding its capabilities to include innovation, digitalisation and next-generation technologies.

  • €116+ billion annual exports
  • Third largest exporter of pharmaceuticals globally
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Opportunities to Collaborate

Multinationals operating in Ireland have many opportunities to collaborate with domestic companies, a network of life sciences sub-supply providers and multiple industry-focused research centres spanning a variety of technologies.

  • Facilitated sharing of best practice between companies
  • Active industry-academic partnership in technology, materials, manufacturing and more
Ranking Winner

Strong Compliance Record

Ireland has an exemplary compliance record with regulatory agencies like the FDA and EMA, who collaborate and work closely with our Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) to achieve trouble-free compliance.

  • 50 FDA-approved pharma and biopharma plants
  • Fair oversight of regulated companies and a culture of excellence in compliance
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World-Class Talent

Ireland’s industry can avail of skilled talent in existing pharma sites, experienced in quality assurance, quality control, product development, science and engineering. There’s also unrestricted access to the EU labour pool of over 240 million people.

  • Strong links with universities provide local talent matched to industry needs
  • Fast-track support for employment permits for skilled international labour

We are committed to Ireland and will work with all local partners to build this state-of-art next generation biomanufacturing facility as a showcase to the global biotech community

See similar companies in Ireland

WuXi Biologics
Baxter
GE Healthcare
Zoetis
Lilly
Bristol Myers Squibb
Johnson
Sanofi
Novartis
Regeneron
West
Abbvie
Pfizer
Janssen
Takeda
Gilead
Merck
MSD

Success Stories: Hear from leaders calling Ireland home

A proven path

See all Success Stories
World Nomads
MeiraGTx
Qualcomm
Pfizer
Autodesk
Diligent
Since reopening after Covid, team in Ireland has doubled in one year from 18 to 37

Since reopening after Covid, team in Ireland has doubled in one year from 18 to 37

Cork is renowned for its dynamic blend of innovation, skilled talent pool, and accessibility, so it really ticked all the boxes in terms of our ambitions. The city benefits from a robust infrastructure and connectivity. Its strategic proximity to other European markets facilitates efficient engagement with partners and customers, amplifying the potential for growth.

Gene therapy startup chooses Ireland for commercial-scale manufacturing

Gene therapy startup chooses Ireland for commercial-scale manufacturing

MeiraGTx’s Shannon facility is unique, not only in Ireland but globally, as it streamlines gene therapy development, testing and manufacturing capabilities together in-house. This significantly reduces the time to patients for advanced therapeutic products, with months or potentially years saved.” -

Ireland is a strategic IT and engineering hub for chip giant

Ireland is a strategic IT and engineering hub for chip giant

Ireland is one of Qualcomm’s fastest growing R&D Centres, and the availability of talent and motivated people… are making meaningful contributions in terms of our technology roadmap.

Leading global player has invested $9 bn+ in Irish operations

Leading global player has invested $9 bn+ in Irish operations

Pharmaceutical manufacturing in Ireland continues to perform very well contributing strongly to exports and economic growth and provides excellent career opportunities.

Software leader relocates its EMEA HQ to Dublin

Software leader relocates its EMEA HQ to Dublin

We selected Dublin because of its global business environment, talent, ability to support European languages, excellent long-term cost structure, and quality of life for employees. Dublin is a vibrant, multicultural and creative city. These qualities align well with our brand and culture and we think Dublin will be a great fit for us.

Educated workforce enables rapid ramp-up for software company

Educated workforce enables rapid ramp-up for software company

In other jurisdictions that we looked at, they literally wanted you to land and sign the deal. Whereas the IDA were very powerful in thinking about the next wave of growth beyond the first 200 people, and what type of skills we might look for then. It genuinely does feel like a partnership rather than a one-and-done, and the after-sales experience is excellent too.

Find your European home

Find your European home