250 new jobs for Westmeath

Up to 250 new jobs are to be created at a pharmaceutical company in Co Westmeath.

PPD has opened a new research lab facility in Athlone where they will carry out clinical programmes for the pharmaceutical, bio-tech and medical devices industry.

Up to 40 of the jobs will be created this year with the rest coming on stream over the next few years.

Speaking in Athlone earlier, the Taoiseach Brian Cowen said: "We are building a life sciences cluster in the midlands..(This is) part of the IDA strategy for the midlands."