The government is still trying to save 240 jobs at the Roche plant in Clare

IDA IRELAND IS working with Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche to try and find a new buyer for the company’s Clare plant, which looks set to close with the loss of up to 240 jobs.

The company announced last year that the facility was set to close as part of a global restructuring programme. At the time of the announcement it said that the 240 workers would be phased out over the next three years.

The oncology drug specialist, which has operated the plant that has been based in the town of Clarecastle since 1974, will retain a sales operation in the Irish market employing around 90 people.

Although there was hope that the plant could be acquired over by another pharmaceutical company, which would secure the workers’ jobs, negotiations with a potential buyer fell through last year.

The company has begun the process of talks with employees about phasing out positions. Fine Gael TD Joe Carey, who lives in Clarecastle, called on Jobs Minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor to do everything possible to secure the positions at the plant.

Sympathy 

Speaking at the IDA’s half yearly update earlier today, the Minister said that the agency is in talks with the company’s management to try and save the plant.

“I have every sympathy with the workers that are losing their jobs. The IDA has been working with Roche both in Ireland and in the headquarters in Switzerland to pursue options,” she said.

Jobs Minister Mary Mitchell O'Connor

“It is disappointing, they had identified a company that we thought were going to go into that Roche plant (but) it didn’t happen.”

She added: “I can assure you that the IDA are in talks with Roche and with different companies so we will just have to wait and see what the outcomes of those meetings are.”

No one from Roche Ireland was available for comment at the time of publication.

Phase out

The company will phase out operation at the site over the next few years. The process is expected to be completed between 2018 and 2019 when Roche will exit the site.

The move is part of a wider company restructuring as the business moves towards producing more specialised medicines that are made in lower volumes than traditional pharmaceuticals.

The closure will see Roche shed about 1,200 jobs between four manufacturing sites. As well as Ireland, the plants that will close are located in Spain, Italy and the United States.

Roche Ireland made a profit of €9.5 million in 2014, although this was down from €11.4 million the year before, while turnover dropped from €103 million to €79 million.