US medtech BD says investment here is ‘about access to talent’

Becton Dickinson has made two big investments in the run up to Christmas, €62 million in a Drogheda manufacturing plant and €72 million in its R&D centre of excellence in Limerick

Padraig Fitzgerald, senior R&D director for Becton Dickinson: the investments are a vote of confidence in Ireland and the talent here. Picture: Brian Arthur

A combined €132 million investment in Ireland announced by Becton Dickinson was “all about access to talent”, the company’s head of research and development has said.

Before Christmas, the US medtech multinational, simply known as BD, made two separate announcements regarding its Irish operations, which will involve the creation of an additional 230 jobs here over the coming years in addition to the 1,300 people it already employs in the country.

The first announcement related ...