Concern over Teva jobs in Waterford

There are fears of job losses at a major pharmaceutical firm in Waterford.

Fears were growing for jobs at a multinational pharmaceutical plant today after staff were called to a meeting with management.

Around 730 people are employed at Teva Pharmaceuticals in Waterford.

The firm, formerly known as IVAX, makes inhalers and tablets and is among the top 20 pharmaceutical companies and one of the largest generic pharmaceutical companies in the world.

The future of its Irish operation plant and plight of workers at the facility, on the IDA Industrial Estate, will be revealed this morning.

Yesterday 80 jobs were lost at Morrison Utilities – a telecommunications contractor for Eircom – while 50 posts were cut at Banagher Concrete Company in County Offaly.

Another 60 positions are also under threat at An Post in Portlaoise amid reports the firm lost a major contract with a UK catalogue supplier.

The bleak jobs news came as latest figures revealed more than 440,000 people are signing on for benefits, bringing the unemployment rate to 12.4%.

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) showed more than 192,000 people had been added to the Live Register in the last year, with 4,321 new people signing on for social welfare payments in August.

On top of the massive dole figures, the latest Exchequer report revealed the tax take down €427m this year and state finances €18bn in deficit, with €6bn of this paid to bail out the banks.