Some 190 jobs are to be created at two separate firms around Ireland.

Nasdaq-listed Phibro Animal Health Corporation has announced plans to establish a biotech facility in Co Sligo, creating up to 150 jobs over five years.

The company produces a range of animal health vaccines.

The project on the IDA Ireland Finisklin Business Park is supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland.

Phibro develops, manufactures and markets animal health and nutrition products for poultry, swine, cattle, dairy and aquaculture customers around the globe.

The company had sales in over 65 countries during its most recent fiscal year and employs over 1,400 people.

The Sligo plant will be the company’s first biologicals manufacturing location in Europe.

'Strengthens Ireland’s Life Sciences'

Making the announcement in Sligo, Agriculture Minister Michael Creed said: "This significant investment by Phibro is a great vote of confidence in Sligo, and will offer even more opportunities for local residents and communities to grow and thrive.

"It further strengthens Ireland’s Life Sciences capability in the North West and builds on a series of new IDA projects announced for Sligo and elsewhere in the region over recent times."

Jack Bendheim, Phibro chairman, president and CEO, added: "The creation of Phibro Ireland marks an important milestone in our development as a leading global player in the animal health biological market.

"The winning combination of Phibro’s expertise in the development and manufacture of biological products, the driven and experienced workforce available in the Sligo area, and the strong support of the IDA makes us very excited about the potential of the Sligo facility."

Paradyn COO Paul Casey, CEO Cillian McCarthy and CTO Rob Norton | Image: Steve Langan

Meanwhile IT and communications service provider Paradyn is set to double its workforce from 40 to 80 employees by 2020.

The positions will be in both its Dublin and Cork offices.

The new jobs are being created as part of a €4m investment that will fund company growth and acquisitions.

Paradyn is a newly-created company formed as the result of a merger of Exigent Networks, Irish Telecom and Netforce.

It manages more than 30,000 users across 300 business and public sector customers from a range of industries.

The company says growth will be driven by new services in the areas of security, networking and IT, as well as cross-selling to existing customers, new business development and further company acquisitions.

Paradyn CEO Cillian McCarthy said: "Acquisition is a key strategy for us.

"We are on the lookout for other IT, communications and information security businesses which can integrate into the company to add further to our unique ability to deliver more secure and easily managed technology infrastructures to our customers so that they can generate a higher return on investment on their IT and communications systems."

The firm has already started recruiting for the new roles, mainly in the areas of finance, network engineering, technical solutions architecture, technical sales and support, marketing and business development.