190 manufacturing jobs to go in Dublin and Wicklow

It has emerged today that 190 jobs will be lost from companies in Dublin and Wicklow.

It is expected that 50 jobs will go at Pet food manufacturer Merops Nutrition, which is based in Ballymount.

Multi National company AO Smith Electric Motors based in Bray will also close its factory with the loss of 140 jobs.

SIPTU President Jack O' Connor said that jobs in the traditional manufacturing sectors should be supported.

“It is our view,” he said, “that the manufacturing (industry) must be sustained and every possible avenue must be explored to support the manufacturing jobs – those jobs are more sustainable, if they were supported, in the longer term than some of the more recent arrivals.”