CRH subsidiary Irish Cement is to seek 55 redundancies at its facility in Castlemungret, Co Limerick as part of restructuring measures.

The building materials giant said the restructuring follows five years of decline in the Irish construction industry, with activity now 80 per cent below the 2007 peak levels.

“Unprecedented deterioration in market conditions combined with a sustained decline in the demand for cement products have led to the need for a significant restructuring plan to be put in place at the Limerick facility,” the company said in a statement.

It is understood the restructuring plan will be negotiated at talks with workers and unions over the coming days.

Earlier this year staff at the Irish Cement plants in Castlemungret, Co Limerick, and Platin, Co Meath, downed tools in a row with the company over payments worth €5,500-€9,500 to each worker. The staff and their trade union, Siptu, said a Labour Court ruling obliges the company to pay them the cash.