Shifts cancelled at Boston Scientific in Cork after cyberattack

Employees across the multinational’s three Irish plants have reported a disorganised and confusing response to the crisis

Boston Scientific's Model Farm Rd site in Cork employs an estimated 1,200 people and has operated since 1997. Picture: Larry Cummins

Staff in the Cork branch of US multinational Boston Scientific have been told that all Friday's shifts have been cancelled, amidst  confusion following an IT outage.

The medical device maker, which employs more than 7,000 people in Ireland, confirmed this week it had suffered a cyberattack disrupting its global operations.

The company said it had detected the attack on Tuesday and was working with cybersecurity specialists to investigate and contain the threat.

The attack is expected to continue to affect parts of the company’s business, among them information systems used to process and ship customer orders.

On Thursday evening, staff in the Model Farm Rd plant were told: "Network issues continue. All shifts scheduled to start tomorrow, up to and including 6.30pm, are not operating. Update to follow tomorrow."

It is unclear whether employees in the Clonmel and Galway plants will receive similar instructions.

Employees across the biotechnology and biomedical multinational’s three Irish plants have reported a disorganised and confusing response to the crisis.

Staff told the Irish Examiner they had asked Siptu to write to the company demanding clarification around work arrangements.

They said they had received contradictory staffing announcements made in the days since the cyberattack was confirmed, and were none the wiser about planned working arrangements into the weekend and beyond.

Boston Scientific was founded in 1979 and employs an estimated 59,000 people worldwide.

The company has had a presence in Ireland for more than three decades, first establishing operations in Ireland in 1994.

The Model Farm Rd site employs an estimated 1,200 people and has operated since 1997.

Boston Scientific was asked for comment.