By DEIRDRE KELLY

A grant aid package of over £3 million has been sanctioned for the company who will create 245 jobs at the plant at Breaffy Road.

Planning permission for the change of use of the old Travenol Laboratory complex is to be lodged with Mayo County Council.

Contracts have been sent to the solicitors for APC and the IDA. Architect Sean Taylor has been appointed architect for the operation and as contract manager.

Minister for Tourism and Trade, Mr Enda Kenny, said the Castlebar project was going ahead as a stand alone operation.

Earlier it had been proposed that the company would set up at three locations and a grant package of £21 million, involving 1,800 jobs, had been approved.

Subsequently APC started a manufacturing plant in the Philippines and that became its main focus of attention. As a consequence the expansion projects for Ireland did not proceed.

Some renovations will have to be made at the plant before the Castlebar operation gets underway. New loading bays are to be constructed and a mound of earth is to be removed.

Minister Kenny said: "The step after that is that a planning permission application has to go before the County Manager for a change of use and for the fire certificates.

"I have had discussions with the County Manager and he will deal with this as soon as is practicable."

Sales of APC products are reaching over £7 million per month at the moment and the company is very strong he said.

The delays in bringing the company to Castlebar, Minister Kenny said, were not due to the Government or the IDA, but "a decision taken by the company itself."

He added: "I would anticipate there are no more hitches in this plan and it should go ahead immediately as planned."

Minister Kenny said he was delighted the plant was to come on stream in the near future.

"It will be a most welcomed boost for the local economy in Castlebar," he said.

Meanwhile an extension of the scheme operated by Gandon Enterprises, adjacent to where APC will set up, has also been sanctioned.

The scheme, which is a sheltered workshop with 38 employees, will be extended for one year.