More than 300 people working at Cardinal Health in Co Offaly are being made redundant following the company's announcement to close its plant by spring 2026.
Staff and union members were informed of the decision on Thursday morning.
The company closed operations at the Tullamore site on Wednesday when it called staff to the emergency meeting.
Cardinal Health has 315 employees at the medical devices manufacturing plant at Sragh Industrial Estate in Tullamore.
Minister for State for Enterprise and Employment Peter Burke said his main concern was for Cardinal Health staff and their families who were now coming to terms with the impact of the announcement.
“This industry has had a presence in Tullamore for over 40 years, well served by a loyal workforce and with considerable support from the IDA over the years,” he said.
“I have been engaging and will continue to engage with the company. Following this morning’s Town Hall meeting with staff, and along with the IDA and my Department we will work with the company management and with staff on current and potential future possibilities. We will make every effort to identify alternative employment opportunities for the staff affected by this announcement.
“As a country we are at full employment, with strong demand for medtech and life sciences skills and we will work to help employees impacted to find alternative employment.”
Siptu trade union area organiser Ashling Dunne said that notification of a staff meeting came “out of the blue” and was a shock.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland on Thursday ahead of the announcement, Ms Dunne said it was “never generally good news” when a meeting like this was called.
On Wednesday afternoon, staff were advised that production would cease to allow all staff to attend a meeting on Thursday morning for an announcement.
Ms Dunne, who has been representing staff at Cardinal Health for over five years, said there had been no indication that the company was in any difficulty or that there would be any job losses.
There would be a number of options for staff, she said. “We absolutely will have to make contact with the IDA and the Government to intervene immediately.”
The priority for trade union and local political representatives in Tullamore is to provide all support for the 300 staff who will lose their jobs with the phased closure of Cardinal Health.
SIPTU area organiser Ashling Dunne told RTÉ radio’s news at One that every effort would be made, and no stone would be left unturned in attempts to save jobs and to encourage a replacement company for the site.
The Cathaoirleach of Offaly County Council Councillor Tony McCormack said he had spoken with Tánaiste Micheál Martin and the Minister for Trade and Employment Peter Burke to appeal for the support of government agencies. He said he had been assured that everything would be done to ensure the staff could avail of upskilling and reskilling, and he was hopeful that all could find jobs.
The facility at which Cardinal Health operates has hosted a number of medical device companies over the past 40 years, he said, and the workforce had been very loyal, some of them working there for over 20 years.
“They've been a huge addition to the local economy as well. There are other companies out there that provide many services to the site. They'll be looking at what's going to happen to them now going forward, as well. “
Cardinal Health, with over 300 staff, would be one of the major employers in the Tullamore area, he added.
“What we're hoping is going to happen at this stage is to work very closely with the IDA in order to have somebody to come and move into that facility very soon.
“So while we're losing these jobs today, I would be hopeful that the IDA will be able to sell that land for another medical device company in the long term. In the short term, whatever needs to be done, whether it be upskilling or reskilling or whatever needs to be done for those employees to transition, the government won't be found wanting in regards to that. But the job market here in Offaly is quite buoyant at the moment. I would be hopeful that most of those people will get employed very quickly.”
