Credit card firm to lay off 40 workers in Killarney

The American Express Rosenbluth call centre at Fossa in Killarney is to close in April, with the loss of 40 jobs.

The closure follows the acquisition by American Express of Rosenbluth International in October last year.

American Express already operates a corporate travel call centre in Dublin, and the decision to close the Killarney centre is part of the merging of Rosenbluth operations into American Express.

This is another jobs blow for Kerry following the announcement from the Sports Socks Company yesterday that it is to phase out manufacturing in Ireland at their Cahirciveen and Tralee facilities, with the total loss of 165 jobs.

Last August, the owners announced they were to close the Cahirciveen manufacturing plant with the loss of 147 jobs.

Meanwhile, all the employees in the Tralee facility were put on protective notice while the company continued to evaluate options for the facility.

However it was confirmed yesterday that these 18 jobs will also be lost.

The company, which makes sports socks, is owned by American multinational Kellwood.