Ballina jobs

GOOD NEWS Pictured at last week’s jobs announcement in Ballina were Des Mahon, County Manager, Mayo County Council; Cllr Seamus Weir, Cathaoirleach, Mayo County Council; Dara Calleary, TD; Leonard Moran, CEO, Ovagen; Catherine Caulfield, CEO, Charles River Laboratories and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheál Martin.

Ovagen to create 60 jobs for Ballina

Anna-Marie Flynn

A much-needed employment boost of 60 jobs was announced for Ballina in a new germ-free egg industry last week.
Enterprise, Trade and Employment Minister Micheál Martin formally launched the revolutionary biotechnology company, Ovagen, in the town last Thursday. It is set to create 60 jobs in its first phase of development.
The jobs, based in the world pioneering germ-free chicken and egg project for use in human vaccine markets across the globe, will come on stream in the next 12 to 18 months. Ovagen is based outside Ballina at Carrentrila.
A further ten jobs are set to be created in the Glenamoy plant, Charles River Laboratories.
Ballina’s Ovagen founder and Chief Executive Officer, Leonard Moran, said the launch of his new venture marked the culmination of six years’ investigative work.
“The existing supply of eggs for use in vaccines carry regular contamination so we set about producing germ-free eggs and chickens. The chickens are kept in a sterile environment. Ovagen is researching and developing since 2002, and has now succeeded in producing the first germ-free chickens and eggs in the world.”
Minister Martin said that the biotech sector was the future for Irish employment. “The future is not in low-cost, low-skilled manufacturing. It is in extraordinary companies like Ovagen who look to, not just the Irish market, but the global field. This company has a long journey ahead but it is going in the right direction and is a fantastic thing for Ballina. It is creating a world first,” he said.
Construction of the first phase of the plant, the Research and Development Unit, designed by planning consultant and engineer, Patricia Calleary, will commence this month.  An application is currently being prepared for the second phase of the project.