9th January 2014
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
Fine Gael TD for Cork North West, Áine Collins, has said that new
intellectual property legislation will be good for pharma jobs in
Cork. Deputy Collins was speaking after the enactment of the
Intellectual Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act.
“The new intellectual property legislation enacted this week is a very
positive development for pharma jobs in Cork as it will make it easier
for pharmaceutical companies to develop new products. Under the
legislation, all acts carried out for purposes of clinical tests and
trials to secure regulatory approval for new or generic versions of
medical or veterinary products will be exempt from patent
infringement.
“Cork has a strong pharmaceutical industry and regulatory change like
this is good for the future of the sector. Companies like Johnson &
Johnson, Pfizer, Schering Plough and Yves Rocher create highly skilled
good quality jobs in Cork locations like Ballincollig, Macroom,
Millstreet, Kanturk, Charleville. These jobs are crucial to the
economic recovery in Cork and the wider Munster region. Protecting and
supporting this industry is good for the sustainability of these jobs
and the creation of further employment.
“The new legislation applies to research, test and trials carried out
in Ireland for the purposes of developing new products and getting
regulatory approval for those products anywhere in the world. Minister
for Skills, Research & Innovation, Damien English has said that
legitimate research and trials will now enjoy greater immunity from
patent infringement proceedings, while any follow-on commercial
manufacture will continue to enjoy legitimate patent protection.
“This legislation was actually part of the Government’s Action Plan
for Jobs, which was launched in early 2012, with over 80,000 jobs
added to the economy since then. This week’s CSO figures show that the
Plan is working for Cork. The Live Register has decreased by 26.5% in
Cork City and 24% across Cork County since the launch of the Action
Plan for Jobs. I am delighted that the pharma sector is now going to
benefit from the Action Plan because so many families in Cork depend
on pharma jobs.”
