Medical devices sector key to opportunity for Ireland
Release date: Friday, 12 February 2010
Engineers Ireland today celebrated Engineering in Health Day as part of Engineers Week 2010 with the Minister for Health and Children, Mary Harney TD. To mark the day the Minister took part in a tour of the Galway plant of Covidien, one of the world’s most innovative companies which is headquartered in Ireland . Engineers Week, which comes to an end tomorrow Feb 13th, is a campaign held annually by Engineers Ireland to promote engineering as a career and the importance of the industry to Ireland .
Speaking today at Covidien, Minister for Health and Children Mary Harney TD, said: “ Ireland ’s future is in high value jobs, producing and selling high value exports. The medical devices and health sectors will be a key part of this. We’ve proven what we can do already. At the start of the decade, medical and pharmaceutical products exports were 6% of total manufacturing exports, with a value of approximately €4 billion. By 2008, those exports were 19% of the total, and the value had multiplied four times over to €16bn. This is what we can build on. This success is made by people working in a complex system, but at the heart of it are engineers and scientists, and innovators and solution-seekers. That’s why it’s important for all of us to work together to encourage and support young people to choose careers in engineering and science.”
John Power said engineers played a vital part everyday in saving people’s lives. “Young people are often lured to other careers like law, journalism and medicine because they believe it can be way to help other people while enjoying a fulfilling career. Engineering is not often considered in that way, yet everyday engineers are at the frontline in the health services through the products and processes they have developed.”
“Covidien is an excellent example of a company at the forefront of healthcare, employing many engineers amongst its 2,000 employees in Ireland very day its products are used to save people’s lives. This Covidien plant in Galway employing 300 people including 70 engineers, is a world class operation. It is the manufacturing facility for Covidien’s production of hospital ventilators. Fifty per cent of the ventilators being used anywhere in the world today in acute situations are made here at Covidien Galway which is a major achievement. Engineers Ireland is proud of the role engineers play in the medical devices sector throughout Ireland .”
Mr. Power continued by saying: “Medical technology is a major opportunity for Ireland and for Irish engineering. The sector employs many engineers already with 26,000 people employed in the Republic in this sector, many of them here in Galway which is a centre of excellence in this field. Ireland has 14 of the top 25 medical technology companies in the world with plants here, including Covidien. Ireland is the fourth largest country in the world for the export of medical devices and diagnostic products which is a very significant vote of confidence in Ireland and its engineers. We are only behind the US, Japan and Germany , all countries much larger than us.”
Engineers Week 2010 concludes tomorrow Saturday, February 13 with Family Fun Day. Engineers Ireland Family Fun Day will be taking place in various locations around the country. Activities will take place in Dublin, Galway, Antrim and Westmeath. In Galway the activities will take place in Kylemore Abbey & Garden from 11am – 3pm. In Dublin the activities will take place in Engineers Ireland, Clyde Road, Dublin 4 from 11am – 4pm. Families are invited in for a day of fun – admission free of charge.
John Power wrapped up today’s proceedings at Covidien saying: “Ireland’s engineering excellence and other qualities gives Ireland the opportunity to grow further in the medical technology space. We should all use our endeavors to see if we can win more of the world’s €219 billion market for medical technologies. Ireland currently has €6.6 billion of that export market or some 3 % which is amazing in itself. Companies like Covidien see their future as innovation. Engineers play a key role in medical device and R&D development in Ireland . Hopefully together we can grow and develop.”
Engineers Week 2010 has featured nearly 150 activities and events around Ireland . To find out more information about events taking place near you tomorrow log onto www.engineersweek.ie
Speaking today at Covidien, Minister for Health and Children Mary Harney TD, said: “ Ireland ’s future is in high value jobs, producing and selling high value exports. The medical devices and health sectors will be a key part of this. We’ve proven what we can do already. At the start of the decade, medical and pharmaceutical products exports were 6% of total manufacturing exports, with a value of approximately €4 billion. By 2008, those exports were 19% of the total, and the value had multiplied four times over to €16bn. This is what we can build on. This success is made by people working in a complex system, but at the heart of it are engineers and scientists, and innovators and solution-seekers. That’s why it’s important for all of us to work together to encourage and support young people to choose careers in engineering and science.”
John Power said engineers played a vital part everyday in saving people’s lives. “Young people are often lured to other careers like law, journalism and medicine because they believe it can be way to help other people while enjoying a fulfilling career. Engineering is not often considered in that way, yet everyday engineers are at the frontline in the health services through the products and processes they have developed.”
“Covidien is an excellent example of a company at the forefront of healthcare, employing many engineers amongst its 2,000 employees in Ireland very day its products are used to save people’s lives. This Covidien plant in Galway employing 300 people including 70 engineers, is a world class operation. It is the manufacturing facility for Covidien’s production of hospital ventilators. Fifty per cent of the ventilators being used anywhere in the world today in acute situations are made here at Covidien Galway which is a major achievement. Engineers Ireland is proud of the role engineers play in the medical devices sector throughout Ireland .”
Mr. Power continued by saying: “Medical technology is a major opportunity for Ireland and for Irish engineering. The sector employs many engineers already with 26,000 people employed in the Republic in this sector, many of them here in Galway which is a centre of excellence in this field. Ireland has 14 of the top 25 medical technology companies in the world with plants here, including Covidien. Ireland is the fourth largest country in the world for the export of medical devices and diagnostic products which is a very significant vote of confidence in Ireland and its engineers. We are only behind the US, Japan and Germany , all countries much larger than us.”
Engineers Week 2010 concludes tomorrow Saturday, February 13 with Family Fun Day. Engineers Ireland Family Fun Day will be taking place in various locations around the country. Activities will take place in Dublin, Galway, Antrim and Westmeath. In Galway the activities will take place in Kylemore Abbey & Garden from 11am – 3pm. In Dublin the activities will take place in Engineers Ireland, Clyde Road, Dublin 4 from 11am – 4pm. Families are invited in for a day of fun – admission free of charge.
John Power wrapped up today’s proceedings at Covidien saying: “Ireland’s engineering excellence and other qualities gives Ireland the opportunity to grow further in the medical technology space. We should all use our endeavors to see if we can win more of the world’s €219 billion market for medical technologies. Ireland currently has €6.6 billion of that export market or some 3 % which is amazing in itself. Companies like Covidien see their future as innovation. Engineers play a key role in medical device and R&D development in Ireland . Hopefully together we can grow and develop.”
Engineers Week 2010 has featured nearly 150 activities and events around Ireland . To find out more information about events taking place near you tomorrow log onto www.engineersweek.ie