News Corp to shut Kells printing press

Publisher of The Sun and Sunday Times titles to outsource printing to other locations in Ireland

The closre of the press in Kells will result in the loss of 59 jobs. Picture: iStock

Rupert Murdoch’s News UK & Ireland plans to shut a longstanding printing plant in Kells in Co Meath, which produces its own daily and Sunday newspapers as well as titles for other publishers, with the loss of 59 jobs.

The decision to shut the Kells operation comes just two months after News UK & Ireland had bought out the printing press operation from Smurfit Kappa News Press after the deal was given the go-ahead by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission.

News UK & Ireland had owned the site for over 20 years on which Smurfit Kappa News Press operated the printing business.

The plant produces editions in Ireland for the Sunday Times and Irish Sun, which are owned by News UK & Ireland. It also prints editions for other newspaper publishers, including the Irish Daily Mail and the Financial Times.

At the time of the proposed acquisition earlier this year, local politicians had raised their concerns about the future of employment at the plant.

News UK & Ireland met with staff late Monday to communicate its decision and triggered a 30-day consultation period.

The company said that the decision to close the plant followed a review.

It plans to outsource printing of its titles to other plants in Ireland.

“Following an extensive review of the News Press Ireland Limited (NPIL) print business based at Kells, News UK & Ireland has regretfully concluded that it proposes to close the plant and outsource printing to other third-party print sites in Ireland,” it said in a statement.

“This proposal is subject to consultation and the company will be engaging with the staff and union as appropriate. This development will have no impact on the publication of News Ireland’s news brands," the company said.

In June, the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission said it had received submissions from three outside parties that expressed concerns about employment at the plant, as part of its review of the acquisition.

In giving the go-ahead for the purchase, the commission said it had decided the submissions did not involve competition issues.

“Assessing concerns regarding employment-related issues is not within the commission’s remit and therefore such concerns have not been taken into account as part of the commission’s assessment of the competitive effects of the proposed transaction,” the regulator said at the time.

A spokesperson for News UK & Ireland said: “News UK & Ireland Limited will continue to invest in our quality journalism and serving our readers. Although this was a difficult conclusion to reach, we believe it provides the most viable and sustainable long-term solution for the printing business. We wish to thank the News Press Ireland staff in Kells for their continued cooperation and understanding, and we are committed to offering every possible support as we undertake the staff consultation process.”