164 jobs losses announced for Wicklow and Galway

A total of 164 jobs losses were announced today affecting Counties Wicklow and Galway.

A total of 164 jobs losses were announced today affecting Counties Wicklow and Galway.

Harris Calorific, a US-based manufacturer of gas welding equipment is to close its plant in Rathnew, Co Wicklow with the loss of 75 jobs.

The closure of the Rathnew factory follows a strategic review of the company's global operations and is another blow to the Co Wicklow.

"Today's news bring the total number of jobs lost in Wicklow in the last eight months to 307 following the closure of AO Smith in Bray and the Quinn Group Veha radiator plan in Wicklow town earlier this year," said Wicklow Fine Gael TD, Billy Timmins.

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"With Dell abandoning its call centre in Bray and 76 jobs lost at the Schering-Plough plant in Rathdrum last year the county is being devastated by repeated closures," he added.

Harris manufactured a range of gas welding and cutting torches which they supply to the gas apparatus division of Harris Calorific.

A US computer frame manufacturer is to close its factory in south Connemara with the loss of 89 jobs after losing a contract to a Chinese competitor.

Maysteel Teoranta was set up in Inverin in 1992 and was dependent on a contract to supply computer frames to IBM for most of its work.

IBM's decision to award the contract to another company, believed to be in China, is believed to be the key factor in the closure.

Maysteel had received 2.1 million euro in grants from Údaras na Gaeltachta up to last year.