Cork has been dealt a double jobs blow with 25 jobs set to be shed at Little Island based company Janssen Pharmaceutical while night staff at the Tesco's 24 hour stores in Mahon. Midelton and Youghal are facing uncertainty about their future.

Staff at Janssen Pharmaceutical were yesterday (Wednesday, October 15) offered a voluntary redundancy package as part of cost-cutting measures being undertaken by the company. The move follows a review of the manufacturing operations at the Cork facility and will involve a reduction in employment of approximately 25 positions.

Bryan Mohally, Managing Director of the company said that the reduction in employment numbers at the facility has brought about by a need to reduce costs at a time when the company and the industry in general faces a number of patent expirations, coupled with some delays in the registration of pipeline products.

Management at the company will be entering into further discussions with employees and their representatives over the coming weeks so the programme can be implemented by the end of the year. Meanwhile, Tesco Ireland confirmed that the three Cork stores would cease 24-hour trading including following a review of customer demand for shopping during the night at these locations, although it remains unclear whether the changes in opening hours will result in many redundancies. A spokesperson for Tesco Ireland told the Cork Independent, "The small number of staff affected by this announcement will be offered alternative opportunities within the stores".

Fine Gael South East Ward Councillor Laura McGonigle expressed concern at the announcement. "The area of Mahon has a large youth population and youth need two things – facilities and employment. The news that Tesco are to cut back its opening hours is therefore a great concern to me a local councillor in the Mahon area.

"It's all well and good saying that staff there will be accommodated, but we need clarification. If there is no demand to keep the stores open 24 hours, how will they be able to locate the staff in question?"

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