500 jobs are to go in various locations after separate announcements by three companies today.
The Lord Mayor of Waterford, Councillor Laurence Cha O'Neill, described as a body blow to the city the announcement that a pharmaceutical company is to close its factory, with the loss of 200 jobs.
Sanofi Aventis said the plant on the IDA Industrial estate would close by the end of the year.
Mayor O'Neill said there now needed to be a focus on helping the employees and on attracting new enterprises to the city.
Packaging company is wound up
Packaging company Ire-Tex has confirmed the loss of 200 jobs at its plants in Kildare, Limerick and Meath.
It follows the laying off of 85 people at the company in January.
The High Court has granted orders winding up the company.
Computer company Dell had provided 70% of the firm's business but terminated a long-running contract recently, which left the company with liabilities of €7m.
Ire-Tex had been operating in Limerick and Kildare for over 30 years.
O2 seeking redundancies
Mobile phone company O2 is seeking 100 compulsory redundancies from staff in Dublin.
The company currently employs 1,800 people in Ireland and staff were due to be told this morning that the group is seeking to cut its workforce by 5%.
It follows a similar move by rival Vodafone.
Both O2 and Vodafone have seen their average revenue per user decline in Ireland.
