MBNA call centre to close with loss of 160 jobs

The credit card company MBNA has announced its intention to close its call centre at Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim with the loss of 160 full time jobs.

In a statement this afternoon, the company said its business was now “UK focused” and will concentrate on that market.

Staff were informed of the decision this afternoon and will now enter into consultation with the company regarding severance.

In the last five years the company has lost about 65 per cent of calls to its Irish centre which only serviced UK customers following the sale of its Irish credit card operation in 2012. That fall off in activity amounted to about 10 million calls a year.

In a statement, Jobs Minister Richard Bruton said: "All the supports of the State will be made available to the workers affected. I have asked the Enterprise Agencies under my remit to redouble their efforts to drive job creation and utilise the skill-sets of the employees to find alternative employment."

Local TD Denis Naughten described the announcement today as a "devastating blow".

“This decision will have major repercussions throughout the area and every effort must be made to sell the call centre facility in Carrick-on-Shannon to other potential operators and to retain the jobs locally,” he said.