A Co Cork bakery is to close with the loss of 76 jobs.
Keating's Bakery, which merged with Irish Pride in 1997 will close in the coming weeks.
In a statement issued this evening, Irish Pride cited changes in market conditions and a recognition of commercial realities in the bread market as a cause for the closure.
"Unfortunately, the Kanturk bakery is loss making and is no longer a viable production unit. Its position has been under review for some time and unfortunately we have now arrived at this decision. The industry has changed radically in recent years in response to more competitive market conditions.
"The decision to close is no reflection on the workforce but rather is a recognition of the commercial realities of operating within the bread market at present," the statement adds.
The redundancies bring to almost 600 the number of jobs lost around the country in the first few weeks of 2006.
The most severe losses came in Co Longford after a fire gutted the C&D Foods plant leaving almost 300 employees without work. Earlier this week bicycle component manufacturer SRAM Ireland revealed 53 jobs would be lost with the closure of its Carrick-on-Suir plant in Tipperary.
SRAM Ireland said increased competition from the Far East had forced the move and revealed it would wind down operations over the next nine months.
A spokesman added that 11 staff involved in European management and back office activities will be kept on at a new location in the region. Elsewhere, Unilever Ireland cut 84 posts, mostly van drivers and delivery jobs.
The Anglo-Dutch consumer goods firm, said the cuts came following a decision to transfer distribution from its in-house van fleet to independent operators. And 70 jobs are to be lost at the Glen Dimplex manufacturing firm in Tralee due to competition from low-cost countries.