There are fears for the future of over 400 jobs at a car components factory in Co Westmeath.
Workers at the Iralco plant in Collinstown claim they have been told that the factory is to close.
However management at the company has refused to confirm to RTÉ News whether the closure is a permanent or temporary move.
The ATGWU-UNITE trade union, which represents more than 340 workers in Iralco, says that the company has informed them that a liquadator, John Mc Stay, has now been appointed.
The union says it will be holding an emergency meeting with the liquatator on Wednesday to examine ways that jobs might be saved.
However, it says that the indications at this stage are bleak.
Iralco is one of the Midlands' longest established companies. In German ownership, it has been based at Collinstown since 1964, where it manufactured car components such as doors and trims for Volvo, Bentley, Ford and Volkswagen.
At the height of its production the firm employed almost 900 workers, mostly from the local area, but in recent years that employment figure has fallen back to under 500.
There have been moves to introduce a cost cutting measure - a plan for which was rejected by the workforce in a vote in the last ten weeks.
This afternoon the staff were told the firm is to go into liquidation and were sent home.
It is hoped to sell Iralco as a going concern but major doubts now exist over the future of the jobs.
24 jobs lost at Smurfit Kappa in Waterford
Elsewhere, 24 full time workers at Smurfit Kappa in Waterford are to lose their jobs when the company ceases production on 8 May.
Smurfit Kappa is a packaging solutions company and has been operating in Waterford since 1998.
Management says the company has been adversely affected by a reduction in the demand for packaging solutions in the local market.
However, it is believed that the company will retain some sales and support staff in the region.
