There was a new blow to Irish jobs today with the announcement that up to 310 jobs are to be lost in Sligo and Cork.
Some 160 jobs are to go in Sligo following the announcement that the Tiscali contact centre will close in six months.
This brings the number of job losses in Sligo to 400 in November. Earlier this month pharmaceutical company Stiefel Laboratories announced it will close by 2013 with the loss of 250 jobs and Abbott said it would reduce its workforce by 40.
Staff at Tiscali, which is owned by Talk Talk, were told today that the operation would close following an extensive review.
A statement from Tiscali said: "As processes improve and fewer customers call us, we have taken the decision to consolidate and create centres of excellence enabling us to serve our customers better, the result being that work currently undertaken in Sligo will be moved to other locations, including Waterford.
"The dedicated team in Sligo has delivered excellent service to our customers and we are working with employee representatives over the next six months to fully consult and assist them at this difficult time."
The company opened in November 28 2005 as Toucan and saw three takeovers from Pipex, Tiscali and Talk Talk.
Meanwhile a wireless technology company said today it would make 150 people redundant less than a year after Tánaiste Mary Coughlan had announced the company was going to recruit 145 extra staff.
Option Wireless, which is based at the Kilbarry Industrial Estate on Cork's northside announced it is to significantly downsize its operation with the loss of 150 jobs bringing the total number of jobs losses at the plant in the past year to more than 200.
The Belgian headquarter company confirmed yesterday that as part of a restructuring programme designed to effect operating savings of €20 million, the activities carried out at the Kilbarry plant will be primarily transferred to lower cost regions in Asia.
The move means that just 22 people will be retained at the Cork facility which will continue to serve as Group Operations Headquarters.
It is anticipated that the first redundancies at Option Wireless will take place in January 2010, with further redundancies at the end of March 2010 and the company has pledged to provide support and assistance for all employees, including professional group outplacement services.