The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
Minister for Employment and Small Business, Clare TD, Pat Breen departs today on a five-day Enterprise Ireland Trade Mission to the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul in Minnesota , one of the largest medtech clusters in the United States.
Eighteen Irish life sciences companies are participating on the mission which aims to highlight Ireland as a key hub for innovative life sciences solutions and to explore business and research opportunities in the Twin Cities area where approximately 700 medtech companies are based.
Despite the global recession, the Irish life sciences sector has continued to grow and has evolved into one of the leading global clusters with direct employment of 50,000 people and exports of more than €50 billion annually.
Minister for Employment and Small Business, Pat Breen TD said, “Thirteen of the world’s top 15 leading medtech multinationals now have operations in Ireland but the most impressive progression in our system has been the emergence and growth of our own vibrant indigenous industry. Along with growing exports, this has facilitated an increase in jobs with a strong regional dispersion.
“There is a wealth of talent and investment in medtech in Minnesota and Enterprise Ireland’s Trade Mission programme includes many world class organisations such as Boston Scientific, Medtronic and Mayo Clinic. My aim is to increase engagement with local companies in the Twin Cities region and build upon our world-class reputation as a centre of excellence in manufacturing, and product and service development”.
