Tesco and Skillsmart Retail, the Sector Skills Council for Retail will this week join forces to promote careers in retail in Northern Ireland.

Irish Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Micheál Martin, officially opened a new Enterprise Ireland-supported bioincubation facility at St James’s Hospital, Dublin. The bioincubator, aimed at fostering the growth of Irish biotechnology companies, comprises 172m of laboratory and serviced office space. Two Enterprise Ireland client companies Opsona Therapeutics and Cellix are located at the facility.

Making the announcement the Minister said: “I am delighted to be here today to open the St James’s bioincubator, one of 6 which have come on stream in the last two years. It is unique in that it is the first bioincubator to be based on a hospital campus and the location is synergistic for the hospital and the companies located there. The bioincubator at St James’s will facilitate the translation of science and research into products that are used to diagnose and treat disease.”

Offering a range of on-site specialist and targeted business services, the facility will provide a nurturing environment for early stage biotechnology companies. Enterprise Ireland provided funding of €450,000 to convert existing facilities into a bioincubator. The incubator at St James’s brings to six the number of Enterprise Ireland supported bioincubators, with facilities also located at DCU (Invent), NUIG, TCD (Pearse St.), UCC and UCD.

Feargal Ó Móráin, Executive Director of Enterprise Ireland said: “Through its Bioincubation Programme, Enterprise Ireland has provided business supports and specialised laboratory facilities to facilitate the development of the Biotechnology sector in Ireland. It is obvious from the quality of the companies located in the bioincubators that the Irish biotechnology sector is vibrant and growing.”

Speaking at the opening, Professor of Clinical Medicine at Trinity College Dublin, Dermot Kelleher said: “The new facility will allow the translation of research into real tangible clinical benefits for patient care. With €500m being invested in biotech research over the last 5 years, it is vital that our third level institutions and associated teaching hospitals are prepared and resourced to help bring the results of this research into clinical trials to where they have potential to benefit patients.”

This announcement follows Enterprise Ireland’s recent announcement of a €4.5m investment in 11 Biotech projects under its Commercialisation Fund.

(CD)