Speaking following the announcement this evening (Monday) of 121 jobs losses at GlaxoSmithKline at Currabinny, Co. Cork, local Fine Gael Senator Jerry Buttimer said:
“The news this evening of 121 jobs to go at the pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline will be devastating for the local community, as well as the wider economy.
“This announcement indicates the continuation of an extremely worrying trend in the pharmaceutical industry and will further compound the difficulties being experienced in the Cork area.
“Never has there been a worse time to be unemployed in Ireland as the prospects of finding alternative employment are severely limited. So many families this evening will be overwhelmed by this news and will be fearful of what the future holds.
“Cork has long been an unemployment black spot that requires urgent attention. The county has been decimated by job losses at huge employers such as Pfizer, Schering Plough, Hormann Electronics, Tyco Sensormatic, Odlums and Smurfit. It simply cannot continue.
“The workers who are being given this harsh news tonight, during the worst recession we have seen for a generation, must be supported by State agencies for re-training where possible and from the company by being given appropriate redundancy packages that will help them into the future.”