Medtech may be a mainstay of overseas investment into the West of Ireland, but it’s by no means the only sector thriving there. Technology, manufacturing, fintech, business services are all flourishing – proof that the region continues to attract companies with a compelling offer that combines a welcoming business environment and availability of talent.
The three counties of Galway, Mayo and Roscommon in the West of Ireland host 130 multinational companies that employ more than 31,000 people. The region has a longstanding track record in attracting major investment, with some companies that have been operating here for decades.
The West is one of the key hubs for the medical devices sector in Ireland, supporting its global reputation for expertise and excellence. Two of the largest companies, Boston Scientific and Medtronic, employ close to 8,000 people between them in Galway – making up almost half of the 16,000-strong workforce in the industry across the region.
A proven playbook for medtech
One of the most recent medtech arrivals is Dexcom, a maker of glucose monitoring products. The company chose a greenfield site in Athenry, around 25km from Galway city centre, to be its first facility in Europe. Other names throughout the area include Advant Medical, Aerogen, Hollister, TE Connectivity, Harmac Medical, and Zimmer Biomet.Nearby, there are logistics providers, research centres, tool and mould companies, accountancy, advisory and professional services and recruitment – adding up to an ecosystem that can support these companies as they scale their operations.Over the years, the more companies have arrived, the easier it has become for others to set up, because the playbook is well established by now.
In addition to familiar multinationals, the West actively nurtures startups in this space. Neurent Medical is considered as one of the most prominent emerging companies in the field, and in late 2024 it closed a €18.2 million fundraising round to expand in the USA. Creganna Medical is another mainstay of the sector, and the Galway company was acquired by TE Connectivity of Switzerland for €821 million in 2016.
Long established in life sciences
Looking beyond the medical sector to the broader life sciences category, the West of Ireland region is a powerhouse with significant pharmaceutical operations in counties Mayo and Roscommon. One aspect many of them have in common is their longevity.AbbVie first came to Westport in 1977 and today the site is a centre of excellence for aseptic sterile manufacturing. Occupying 750,000 sq. ft. across a 61-acre campus, the site employs close to 1,300 people. In 2022, Baxter Healthcare celebrated the 50th anniversary of its site near Castlebar, county Mayo, which now employs 1,000 people. The site, now Vantive, produces a range of medical solutions for renal dialysis therapy and administering drugs.
Roscommon has also landed a significant pharmaceuticals project, with Novo Nordisk having previously purchased the Alkermes plant in Monksland, in the south of the county in 2023. The Danish healthcare company is expanding its presence in the region.Hollister ULC, which develops, manufactures and markets healthcare products and services, set up in Ballina, county Mayo, back in 1976 and today employs almost 1,000 people.
Talent at all levels to tap into
Companies like these are here because they can tap into a broad skillset across the life sciences area in the west. Ireland is the largest employer of medtech professionals in Europe per capita, from technical talent to experienced managerial staff.Universities and third level institutes produce graduates the companies need, and Ireland’s pro-business stance includes support for fast-tracking employment permits for skilled labour who are recruited from outside Ireland. The University of Galway and Atlantic Technological University are highly collaborative with industry in the region.
Over the past decade, employment growth at multinationals in the West has increased across all of the main sectors, particularly medtech, but also telecoms and consumer/business services. In this area too, the legacy of investment in the west of Ireland continues to pay the region back today.
A vibrant technology cluster
In the early 1990s, Digital Equipment set up in Galway and although the company is no longer around, its influence lives on. Many people who gained experience with the business have since successfully progressed their careers into leadership roles in technology clients. You could say it has led to the cluster of companies in the West of Ireland region today.This technology cluster is made up of 40 companies that employ nearly 7,000 people across a wide range of functions, from customer support through to high-end research and development. One of the more recent arrivals is the software company Diligent, whose VP of sales development Ruairi Conroy had previously helped SiteMinder, another international company, to set up in the West.
As well as pure-play technology companies, the activity in the region extends to financial services firms like Fidelity Investments that use their operations in the West of Ireland for software development. Genesys, which develops customer experience solutions, chose Galway for the site of its largest European R&D facility for engineering and AI in 2022. HP Enterprise is another R&D hub of scale in the region.
A noticeable change in the region over the past five years is increased availability of office space which has grown to meet the demand, exemplified by developments like Bonham Quay and Crown Square in Galway City. Diligent is based at Bonham Quay, as well as Genesys and Signify Health (part of CVS), Datavant, and Liberty IT.
The West makes it easy to scale
One of the key benefits for any multinational looking to expand in a new location is speed, and the West of Ireland facilitates such rapid setup. For example, working spaces like the PorterShed and Platform94 in Galway let companies lease desks while the landing team hires locally to build out their employee base.The fDi report specifically referred to Galway’s large and growing student population. This ties into the availability of talent at all levels – from graduates to an experienced talent base that’s familiar with the demands of working for major global businesses. Close to 50% of the region’s population is under 35 years old and there is a third-level student population of more than between University of Galway and Atlantic Technological University. There are also world-class Government-funded research institutes in the region.Galway City ranked in the top three micro-cities in fDi Intelligence’s European Cities and Regions of the Future 2025 report. The city placed second in the subcategories of ‘economic potential’ and ‘business friendliness’.
The West of Ireland and Galway is well served for connectivity: Galway city is the largest urban centre on Ireland’s Western seaboard and is the driver of regional employment in the West. Shannon, Ireland’s second airport, is only an hour away by car, and offers direct flights to London. A particular selling point for many multinationals is Shannon’s ability to offer full US preclearance facilities for direct flights to the East Coast, where the headquarters of many multinationals are located.
Improved road infrastructure means Dublin Airport, serving hundreds of destinations, is just two hours’ drive away. Ireland West Knock Airport in county Mayo has direct London flights. The region is also well served by rail, road and bus links.
Work-life balance leads to longer tenures
Quality of life is a key reason for coming to live and work in the West of Ireland. This is more than an appeal to tourism: businesses across the region benefit because we have found this combination means people are contented and want to stay here, and this leads to longer tenures.One of the attractions of the West of Ireland is the spectacular scenery on offer. The region’s mountains, lakes and coastline are within easy reach of major workplaces – ideal for people who want to unwind in the outdoors after the week is over. Galway City is a thriving, bohemian, cultural city on the west coast.
All of these ingredients combine to make the West of Ireland a strategic location for foreign direct investment, no matter what the sector. And whether a company is setting up in the region for the first time, or scaling an existing operation, it can count on the close support of IDA Ireland to be a partner in facilitating growth and innovation.