Taoiseach Micheál Martin visits Longford

An Taoiseach Micheál Martin's shoe leather was well tested on his visit to Longford town today. The country's political leader started his morning in St Christopher's Special School on the Battery Road before he was whisked off to open the local authority's' latest social housing development at St Michael’s Court, adjacent to St Michael’s Road.

His entourage next accompanied him to the Technimark for a major investment announcement at the global healthcare manufacturer.

An Taoiseach described St Michael’s Court, a housing project delivered under the Social Housing Capital Investment Programme, with a total investment of €4 million (€4,080,381) by Donnelly Developments, as a “very significant development”.

The development is 14 units including four three-bedroomed units and 10 two-bedroomed units. Thirteen of the 14 units have been allocated and will accommodate 15 adults and six children.

The final leg of the journey brought him to Technimark Ireland, in the Longford Business and Technology Park on the Ballinalee Road. Here Taoiseach Martin announced 80 new jobs over the next two years as the company expands its operations in Longford. This expansion includes a 50,000-square-foot unit, doubling the size of its existing plant. Technimark will invest €26 million to expand the facility's capacity in medical manufacturing.

Taoiseach Martin addressed the group in the clean room of the global healthcare manufacturer saying: “I think this growth represents the potential of Longford into the future.”