MSD Ireland seeking 70 voluntary redundancies at Cork plant

It is understood that workers at MSD Brinny in Innishannon were told this morning the company has opened a voluntary redundancies programme.

MSD Ireland is looking for 70 voluntary redundancies at its Cork plant

It is understood that workers at MSD Brinny in Innishannon were told this morning the company - which is one of the biggest employers in Munster - has opened a voluntary redundancies programme.

The site, which was established more than 35 years ago, currently employs around 700 people full time.

A consultation period with employees began this morning and is expected to be completed in a few weeks.

None of the company’s other sites in Ireland are affected.

A spokesperson said: "As part of the ongoing evolution at MSD Brinny, the site continuously evaluates resourcing across all its operations to ensure optimum skills, resources and expertise are in place to support the business.

"MSD Brinny today announced a reduction in its total workforce of approximately 70.

"Today’s announcement is a key part of MSD Brinny’s evolving site strategy to ensure continued viability for the long-term. MSD is committed to Ireland.

MSD Ireland is one of the country’s leading healthcare companies, having first established here over 50 years ago.

According to the company’s website, it currently has 2,800 employees across six sites in Ballydine, Co  Tipperary, Brinny, Co. Cork, Carlow, Dunboyne, Co Meath and Dublin.

The company says it has invested approximately €3.6bn in its Irish operations to date and its annual turnover ranks it as one of Ireland’s top 20 companies.

The company’s sites here manufacture approximately half of MSD’s top 20 products, which are distributed to up to sixty countries around the world.

MSD Brinny has been heavily involved in developing and supplying biotech products including some of MSD’s most successful treatments for Oncology, Hepatitis C, and Rheumatoid Arthritis.

The Brinny plant currently specialises in the development and manufacture of novel vaccines and testing of immuno-oncology medicines.

In recent years, the biopharmaceutical firm has developed what is locally known as a ‘lab of the future’ - a state-of-the-art, paperless, technical operation laboratory at MSD Brinny.