BioPharmaChem Ireland demands cash to keep Ireland at forefront of world pharma sector

By Chris Wheal

August 28, 2024

Ibec's BioPharmaChem Ireland says the country needs "to keep pace internationally"

The biopharmaceutical and chemical wing of business lobby group Ibec has demanded the government make Ireland more competitive in global markets.

The Budget 2025 submission (PDF) from Ibec’s sector group BioPharmaChem Ireland (BPCI) lists four areas for government action:

· Investing in skills and talent

· Delivering a world-class innovation ecosystem

· Achieving sustainability goals

· Maintaining competitiveness

Education and research

The BPCI calls for the budget to tackle what it claims is a €307m funding gap for higher education institutions. It says Ireland’s universities need to be kept at the cutting edge of research. “The pipeline of PhD graduates and availability of high-calibre skills are more critical than ever for unlocking innovation in the sector and enabling Ireland to move up the value chain towards early-stage development,” it said.

The group also demanded changes to encourage biopharma manufacturing research at scale in Ireland to continue to attract businesses to the country. “Future manufacturing will be more closely aligned to locations with international reputations for biopharma research,” the BPCI said.

Its budget demands follow closely demands from the Irish Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association (IPHA) for more funding for medicine research and calls to make Ireland more attractive for clinical trials.

Global leadership

The BPCI argues that the sector is thriving, with more than 90 biopharmaceutical and pharmaceutical companies in Ireland employing more than 80,000 people directly and indirectly.

But it says: “To maintain and further develop the sector's global leadership, sharpen its competitive edge and secure its future, BioPharmaChem Ireland is calling on government to address the competitiveness challenges facing the industry.”

Brian Killen, digital transformation lead of one of Ireland’s leading research-intensive biopharmaceutical firm MSD and chair of BPCI, said: “Ireland is already a global leader in the biopharmachem industry, but to reinforce this position we need a more engaged approach by government to address the competitiveness challenges we face. 

“The ecosystem urgently needs a life sciences strategy for Ireland driven through an Office of Life Sciences. We’re calling on government to commit to action on these strategic measures to futureproof this key sector for Ireland. In the lead-up to Budget 2025 and beyond, we look forward to engaging with the government and aligning on a shared vision for the industry.”

Skilled workforce

Sinead Keogh, director of BPCI said: “Ireland’s budgetary recommendations ahead of Budget 2025 focus on leveraging the significant strengths of the BioPharmaChem industry, including a highly skilled workforce, a strong research ecosystem, and Ireland’s manufacturing expertise. However, to keep pace internationally, we need the government to refocus on sharpening the competitive edge and global leadership of the industry in Ireland. 

“Our Budget 2025 submission provides a clear roadmap to achieving this and focuses on four key pillars: building the talent and skills pipeline, delivering a world-class innovation ecosystem, achieving our sustainability goals, and bolstering competitiveness through infrastructure delivery and a dynamic regulatory environment.

“The government should continue to scale public investment in research and innovation with an additional €50m investment for the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS) and Taighde Éireann-Research Ireland in the forthcoming Budget.”

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