Wicklow firm announces 40 job losses

Wicklow-based company Merck Sharp & Dohme has announced they may cut 40 positions between now and December 2012.

MSD in Rathdrum today informed employees of the company's plans to implement a competitiveness and cost-efficiency programme, aimed at securing the future of the plant within the company's global network.

The company, which currently employs 2,300 people in Ireland, 320 of them in Rathdrum, said it will also be reviewing productivity and costs.

The company will now begin a consultation process and it hopes to achieve the redundancies voluntarily.