Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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41. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the timeline for the establishment of the synthesis and solid state pharmaceutical centre at the University of Limerick; the number of research jobs it will support; the target number of jobs it will ultimately lead to in the pharmaceutical sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33580/13]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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The Synthesis and Solid State Pharmaceutical Centre (SSPC) at the University of Limerick was officially launched on 1 July 2013. The total funding to the SSPC, through the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centres programme amounts to €40m to directly support 90 top-class researcher positions for the next six years. The SSPC will provide critical support to Ireland's pharmaceutical sector which directly employs over 60,000 people with exports of €50 billion annually. The SSPC research excellence will greatly assist IDA Ireland's foreign direct investment capability and also strongly underpin many indigenous firms.

A critical industry concern currently relates to retention of the economic value of important drugs, many of which will soon lose their patent protection. Seventeen industry partners are contributing €10m towards the SSPC's activities. They include very significant employers here such as Pfizer, Glaxo Smith Kline, Eli Lilly, Merck, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Roche, Bristol Meyers Squibb, Clarochem Ireland, and Abbvie amongst others.