Abbott Laboratories, the pharmaceutical multinational, looks unlikely to be able to fulfil its plan to begin construction of a £25 million manufacturing plant in Sligo this year, after it ran into difficulties with its planning application on ecological grounds.

The application to build a manufacturing plant on the outskirts of Sligo - the first of its kind in Ireland by the US-based company which already has a presence in Sligo, Donegal and Cavan, employing 1,700 - was originally made on April 24th. But the corporation and county council made a Further Information request on July 10th, seeking "a detailed risk assessment".

The Sligo planning authority received a response from Abbott Ireland on the possible effects on land and fisheries on Monday. A spokeswoman said that the authority now had until October 10th to give a decision. Abbott expects to employ 150 people, over half of whom would be third level graduates. It is already investing £8 million in an expansion of its existing Abbott Diagnostics Division in Sligo. The planning authority said it was concerned about possible hazards associated with the transport and use of hydrogen fluoride, oleum, sulphuric acid, caustic soda and paraformaldehyde.

The authority said the Environmental Impact Statement from Abbott was "deficient insofar as the detailed information relating to anticipated impacts and mitigation measures affecting fisheries has not been adequately provided". A spokesman for Abbott Ireland was unavailable for comment yesterday.