Drug giant MSD sheds 570 jobs

Up to 570 staff at global pharma giant MSD face redundancy in the second major jobs blow at the company this year.

MSD (formerly Merck Sharp & Dohme) said yesterday it intended to close its women's healthcare product business in Swords by the end of 2017. Redundancies will commence in the second half of next year.

Earlier this year, MSD announced it was closing its active ingredient plant at Rathdrum, Co Wicklow, with the loss of 280 jobs.

The MSD news came on a grim day for jobs as fashion retailer A|Wwear entered receivership after attempts to restructure the business failed. It is expected that some of its 31 Irish outlets and nine UK concessions will close, meaning redundancies for at least some of the chain’s 358 staff.

Swords facility

The decision to close the MSD plant was taken following a review of the company’s worldwide manufacturing capabilities. The company said the closure would directly affect 570 people working at the Swords facility.

MSD said it expected about 130 people to leave in the second half of 2014 with the remaining positions being phased out over the following three years.MSD employs more than 2,000 people in the Republic.