The pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline is to cut its workforce in County Cork by more than 120 people. The company has blamed a fall-off in demand for the drugs it manufactures.
GlaxoSmithKline currently employs 460 people in manufacturing and research and development at Currabinny in County Cork. A review of manufacturing has been going on there for some time.
Today the company said it would reduce its workforce in Cork by 121 people. The news follows similar recent announcements by Pfizer in Ringaskiddy and Schering Plough in Brinny in County Cork.
While there is disappointment at the stream of job losses in the pharmaceutical sector, privately there is also relief that the big players are choosing to maintain their bases here instead of shutting up shop.
Better news for Dublin and Belfast
50 new jobs are to be created at Dublin-based commercial information firm Dun & Bradstreet. The company is creating the positions at its Sandyford strategic business centre in the city.
The firm is recruiting software developers, researchers and support staff and the recruitment drive is being supported by IDA Ireland.
Today's announcement means that the company will create 150 jobs in Dublin by 2011 rather than the original 100 previously announced.
The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, Batt O'Keeffe said that the extra jobs showed investor confidence in Ireland's capacity to recovery was strong.
'The company's decision to locate a strategic centre in Dublin and recruit for more positions endorses our global standing in the international services sector and prospects for economic recovery', the Minister added.
Human resources consultancy firm Mercer is to create 45 new jobs in Belfast.
The company, which provides consulting, outsourcing and investment services, currently employs 55 people in the city.
The development will see it expand its services to support Mercer's customers in mainland Europe.
