More than 200 workers are to lose their jobs when a mining company in Kilkenny shuts down two years ahead of schedule this summer.
Workers at Galmoy Mines in North Kilkenny were told yesterday that operations are to cease completely at the zinc mine this May.
Management at the plant announced last September that the mine would be wound down on a phased basis by July 2011 with the loss of 221 jobs.
Management say the decision to close the mine early has been taken “against a background of depressed zinc prices worldwide”.
Galmoy Mines, which is owned by the Canadian-based Lundin Mining Corporation, employs 221 workers, 105 of whom work in the mines.
Phil Wright, president and chief executive of Lundin Mining said the decision to close the Kilkenny operation was “taken after examining all the alternatives”.
“It has not been taken lightly and I would like to recognise the efforts of our people in endeavouring to make this operation a success,” said Mr Wright.
Fine Gael TD for Carlow-Kilkenny and front bench spokesman Phil Hogan said the announcement would have a "devastating effect" across the region.
The announcement today that Galmoy Mine in Kilkenny is to close with the loss of 200 jobs will have a devastating effect across the entire
“In the last three months, an average of 510 people lost their job everyday and today’s losses are further proof that the economy is in freefall with no strategy from the Government to tackle this crisis," Mr Hogan said.
“The job losses at Galmoy are particularly regrettable in view of the fact that the State should be able to exploit the full potential of our natural resources."
Mr Hogan called on Minister for Natural Resources Eamon Ryan to immediately commission an assessment of the country’s natural resources so that the potential for job creation could be fully evaluated.