THURLES is to lose 23 jobs with the transfer of the Tipperary Cereals plant to Drogheda in a merger with Irish Cereals. Tipperary Cereals was bought from a receiver by Boyne Valley, the parent company of Irish Cereals, last autumn, when it was hoped that new products and new customers would make it viable.

A company statement said that this has not proven possible and that the only solution is to merge Tipperary Cereals with Irish Cereals in Drogheda.