Boston Scientific jobs to be transferred to Cork

Jobs lost at the doomed Boston Scientific plant in Tullamore are to be transferred to Cork.

It was revealed the Model Farm Road plant is to benefit from the decision yesterday to close the Offaly operation next year with the loss of 240 jobs.

Meanwhile, efforts were continuing today to secure jobs for 250 workers after a civil engineering company in Carrigtwohill closed on the instructions of the High Court.

Construction sites have been shut and workers will not be paid this week.

Boston Scientific announced yesterday it is to close its plant in Tullamore with the loss of 240 jobs.

However, it has been revealed that a large portion of these jobs in the manufacture of cardiovascular devices will be transferred to Cork next year.

The closure in Tullamore follows the acquisition of the fluid management business by Avista Capital Partners.

Only one-third of the total Tullamore manufacturing workforce were based in this division of the company.

The remainder of the manufacturing operation will be based in Cork from next year.

A spokesman for Boston Scientific said today: “It will mean jobs will be transferred to Cork. It has not been calculated as yet how many will go there.”

As it will be impractical for many workers in Tullamore to transfer to Cork, it is likely job opportunities will be created at the Model Farm Road plant.

Meanwhile, Siptu officials are trying to secure employment for the 250 Howley Civil Engineering workers who face unemployment after the High Court wind-up order yesterday.

Around 40 of these workers were based in Cork.

Howley was one of the largest earth-moving contractors in the country and was a sub-contractor on major projects such as the Lansdowne Road redevelopment.

Siptu’s Pat McGrath was in contact today with the main contractors on sites where Howley had employees.

“We are hoping to get agreement from the main contractors to allow these men to continue working on the jobs once replacement sub-contractors have been found.”

The firm went into liquidation after bids in recent days to secure new investors failed.

Among its largest creditors are Caterpillar Financial Services Ireland — owed €5.5m.

“There was some hope last week that investors would be secured but the negotiations over the weekend broke down,” added Mr McGrath.

The slowdown in the construction sector and the collapse of the Amgen plant in Carrigtwohill, where Howley was a subcontractor, contributed to the firm’s troubles.

Article courtesy of The Evening Echo newspaper