BOSTON SCIENTIFIC:MEDICAL DEVICES firm Boston Scientific, which employs approximately 4,500 people in Ireland, has announced that it is to close its Co Donegal facility next year.
The firm said that most of the manufacturing currently carried out at the Letterkenny plant would switch to its Galway facility.
About 120 people are employed at the site, which has been operating since 1992.
The decision to close the facility was made after a review of the medical device firm’s operations in Ireland.
Last August, Boston Scientific announced the closure of its Tullamore plant with the loss of 240 jobs.
The company said opportunities would be made available for workers at Letterkenny to voluntarily move to the Galway facility.
The company, which recently acquired Labcoat Ltd, a small medical device development firm based in Galway, said it remained committed to its operations in Ireland.
Fine Gael Donegal North East TD Joe McHugh described the decision to close the plant as a terrible blow for the local workforce.
“I appreciate the fact that the company is offering to transfer staff to its Galway plant. However, this is little consolation to staff members whose future lies in Donegal, who have family commitments and who simply cannot afford to relocate,” he said.
“Furthermore, the loss of so many jobs in a town the size of Letterkenny will take a large chunk of revenue out of circulation.”
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