He stressed, however, that the significance of the new facility, which was launched by Taoiseach Brian Cowen, was in safeguarding jobs among suppliers.

The new facility provides an alternative to the ethylene oxide gas and gamma irradiation processes currently provided.
The expansion also includes the addition of two more ethylene oxide sterilisation chambers, making a total of 13 on site.

Isotron Ireland is the country's only sterilisation provider, sterilising about 60% of all medical devices made in Ireland, with the remainder processed by companies in-house or at offshore sterilisation facilities.

The Tullamore operation was established in 1994 to provide contract sterilisation and laboratory services to the medical device, pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical indus-tries.

Mr Cowen pointed out that Isotron operated on 19 sites in nine countries. He said that the investment "speaks volumes" about the company's confidence. Employment had grown from 11 in 1994 to 80 today, and he assured the company of the Government's continued support.

An Taoiseach commented, "I am delighted to have been invited to officially open Isotron Ireland's new Electron Beam Sterilisation Facility. This event marks a new chapter in the development of Isotron Ireland. This new facility represents a major investment - €8.5 million - in the company's future.

"Isotron here in Tullamore is positioned to be one of the world's largest sterilisation centres. But its significance goes well beyond this. As our only sterilisation provider, Isotron is of key infrastructural impor-tance in attracting Medical Technology companies to Ireland.

"This is a very important industry sector for us. Ireland has the leading cluster of Medical Technology industries in Europe and nine of the top ten global companies have significant manufacturing operations here. And the great thing is that the sector, worth €280 bn globally, is growing at a rate of 7% annually.

"The Midlands Region and Galway in the West are the key locations for the Medical Device sector. So today's announcement is good news, not just for Tullamore but for the Midlands and for the country as a whole" concluded Mr Cowen.