US technology giant Hewlett-Packard has announced plans to reduce its workforce by 10%, or 14,500, over the next 18 months.
The company employs around 4,000 people in Ireland, and a spokesman said it was too early to say how the job losses would affect its operations here.
In a statement, HP said it would 'carefully target' job cuts. It said reduction in sales positions would be minimal, while there would be little change in the numbers employed in research and development.
'The majority of staff reductions will come in support functions, such as information technology, human resources and finance,' it said, adding that the amount of jobs to be cut would vary from country to country.
HP in Ireland has manufacturing, sales and R&D activities in Leixlip, Galway, Dublin and Belfast.
Today's moves are aimed saving $1.9 billion a year for the company. The shake-up, widely expected after an executive reshuffle in March, is the company's biggest since completing its controversial takeover of Compaq three years ago.
Chief executive Mark Hurd, who announced the restructuring today, joined the company in March, following the removal of Carly Fiorina.
