Job Losses In Cork And Waterford

Some 260 jobs are being axed in Cork and Waterford it has emerged today.

Up to 140 jobs at the Smurfit Kappa plant in Cork are to go, while Bausch & Lomb is seeking up to 120 redundancies in Waterford.

Reports this morning suggest management at Smurfit Kappa told workers at a meeting this morning that the Cork plant was to be 'rationalised' due to the economic downturn affecting their market.

Meanwhile, Bausch & Lomb confirmed today it is seeking 120 redundancies at its Waterford plant.

Labour spokesman Brian O'Shea called the job losses in Waterford a "major blow" to the economy of Waterford and the south east.

"This announcement comes hot on the heels of news that ABB engineering is to close with the loss of 178 jobs, and in the wake of hundreds of job losses at Waterford Glass," the opposition TD said.

He added: "I am calling on [the] Minister in the strongest possible terms to respond urgently and appropriately to the jobs crisis in Waterford. The Government cannot stand idly by and allow an uninterrupted loss of manufacturing jobs in Waterford."

The plant currently employs 1,200 people, and is involved in manufacturing contact lenses and other eye health products.

At the same time, Cork TD and Fine Gael Innovation Spokesperson, Deirdre Clune, expressed her sympathy to the 140 employees of the Smurfit Kappa company in Togher and called on the Government to take positive steps to address Ireland’s growing unemployment crisis, which has now reached 11.9%.

Minister Clune said: "This is devastating news to the employees and their families. The prospect for employment in the current economic climate is not good, and they now face long delays in applying for jobseekers’ social welfare payments."

A meeting with SIPTU has been scheduled for tomorrow to discuss the planned lay-offs.

(DW/BMcC)