Fears for jobs at Cork pharma plant

There are fears for jobs at one of the longest established pharmaceutical plants in the country.

Staff at Schering Plough near Innishannon in Co Cork have been called to a meeting with management at the plant this afternoon.

Some 516 people work at the biotech plant at Brinny - which was established in Ireland in 1972, and into which some €318m has been invested over the years.

The plant's operations involve the production of treatments for hepatitis C and rheumatoid arthritis, along with some newer products.

Sales from the plant exceed €2bn a year, and are exported to 90 countries across the globe.

However, the parent company for Schering Plough merged with another industry giant Merck last year.

A statement from the company is expected later - but not until staff have been briefed at the lunchtime meeting.