The Government announced yesterday that it will invest €3.5 million in a new biopharma process training facility.

The Minster for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Micheál Martin, said the new facility, which will be located in Carrigaline in Co Cork, was further recognition of the Government's commitment to the biopharmaceutical and medical device sectors.

"With over 20,000 people employed in this industry and an annual increase of approximately 1,500 per annum from 2000 to 2004, it is clear that Ireland is a location of choice for pharmaceutical and biopharma producers," said Mr Martin.

"The establishment of this new facility is another important step in improving our capability to provide the training and supply of quality skilled operatives to these sectors."

Mr Martin said the decision to locate the new facility in Co Cork reflected the high concentration of pharmaceutical and bio-pharma companies in the region. There are 23 such plants in Cork, with a further 17 located elsewhere in Munster.

Fás would work closely with local industry and University College Cork and Cork Institute Technology in providing quality training to the biopharma sector, said Mr Martin, who added that the Cork investment follows a similar announcement last week.

"It is significant that the establishment of this training facility follows last week's announcement that the Government is to provide in excess of €72 million funding to establish a National Institute for Bioprocessing, Research and Training (NIBRT).

"This institute, which will be one of a small number of its kind in the world, is funded to build a world-class research platform in bioprocessing technologies and state of the art education and training," he added.