Novartis job cuts to have 'no impact' on Ringaskiddy facility

Swiss pharmaceutical group Novartis has said its plant in Ringaskiddy will not be affected by its announcement that it intends to cut up to 400 jobs from its Dublin operations.

“Today’s announcement has no impact on the Ringaskiddy facility,” a spokesperson for the pharmaceutical company told The Echo on Thursday evening.

Novartis currently employs approximately 400 people at its Cork manufacturing plant.

The corporation, which employs around 1,000 people at its global service centre at Elmpark on Dublin’s Merrion Road, announced on Thursday that it plans to cut up to 400 jobs at its Dublin office over the next two years.

The planned job cuts are part of its plans to restructure its global business in an effort to reduce costs by $1 billion (€1.03bn).

The company had announced plans earlier this year to cut 8,000 jobs globally, or 7% of its roughly 108,000-strong workforce.

In a statement, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar extended his sympathies to Novartis employees affected by the announcement.

“Although the jobs losses are not unexpected, I know it will come as a major blow to workers and their families,” Mr Varadkar said.

The Tánaiste, who is also Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, pledged that the Government would make all necessary state assistance available, to help the workers who will lose their jobs to find new employment, education and training opportunities.

“Given the nature of the work and sector involved, I would hope they can find new employment quickly.

“Although we live in uncertain times, the Government is doing everything we can to keep the economy in good health and to sustain our current record levels of employment,” Mr Varadkar added.