Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, the maker of blockbuster drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, is planning job cuts at its Irish operation.
The firm has not confirmed the number of planned layoffs but the Department of Enterprise said it received a collective redundancy notification from the company earlier this month.
Such a notification is required in cases of 30 or more proposed redundancies.
The Westmeath Independent has reported that staff at the Novo Nordisk facility in Monksland, Athlone, were informed yesterday that the company is planning to make around 75 workers redundant.
This would be in addition to around 40 voluntary redundancies that were announced at the Athlone facility in recent weeks, bringing the total number of layoffs to 115.
Asked about the report, a spokesperson for Novo Nordisk said it has announced plans to reduce its global workforce by around 9,000 and would not be sharing additional details about individual sites or areas.
"This process takes time, and our highest priority is to support our employees," the spokesperson said.
"We are announcing a company-wide transformation to simplify our organisation, improve decision-making speed, and reallocate resources towards the company's growth opportunities in diabetes and obesity," the spokesperson added.
"As part of this change, we are assessing all business areas and regions to simplify structures, reduce duplication, and sharpen focus," Novo Nordisk said.
