Town shocked by loss of 150 jobs

AN economic bombshell was dropped on Tipperary town yesterday with the announcement by Pall Ireland, the region’s largest single employer, that it was closing its profit-making medical products division with a loss of 150 jobs.

General manager Padraig Barry said the decision was taken because of the competitive nature of the medical business in Europe. The Tipperary operation will be taken up by factories in Puerto Rico and Mexico.

The Pall Corporation makes products for use in transfusion medicine, bio-technology and pharmaceuticals. While 80 jobs will remain at the factory, which is continuing its machinery and equipment division, townspeople were last night in a state of shock.