UP TO 40 jobs look set to be lost in Co Kerry with the expected closure of a healthcare product company in Killarney and voluntary redundancies at a German-owned electronics company in Tralee.
The Killarney-based healthcare company, BeoCare, which is involved in manufacture and research into hygiene products for healthcare, looks set to close with the loss of several jobs.
At its peak, BeoCare which opened in 2005 as a start-up company in the town’s former Pretty Polly plant, employed 60 people. However, employee numbers have dwindled to about 20 in recent months, according to sources.
The plant is held in trust by Killarney Town Council.
Meanwhile, Siptu held a general meeting of its members at the German-owned Beru Electronics in Tralee on Wednesday afternoon to discuss a number of voluntary redundancies which are being sought by the company.
Beru, which was established in 1986 and manufactures components for the automotive industry, is seeking 20 voluntary redundancies from its workforce of more than 200.
It is seeking volunteers to apply for the company’s voluntary redundancy programme to ensure the future viability of the company.
The union representatives have met with Beru and have referred all issues surrounding the redundancies to the Labour Relations Commission.
Also in Co Kerry, BIM, the Irish sea fisheries board, has refused to confirm if it is committed to keeping the ice plant at Dingle harbour open.
There are fears locally for the future of the plant, Kerry’s only remaining ice plant, necessary for the town’s fishing industry, after the two workers there were issued with notices that their contracts would not be renewed.
A spokesman for the State agency yesterday said the board was aware of the speculation locally, but BIM’s position was it did not comment on individual employment contracts.
Local councillor Breandán Mac Gearailt said BIM should clarify the future of the ice plant.
“It makes no sense given Dingle has recently been upgraded as a major port,” he said referring to the designation of Dingle as a fishery harbour centre, and to its function as a mackerel port.
BIM owns and operates ice plants in most of the State’s major fishing ports, including Killybegs, Dunmore East and Greencastle.
However, a number of ice plants are now operated by private companies under lease and the larger fishing vessels, particularly foreign fishing vessels, have their own ice-making facilities for their catch.
“Locals are extremely concerned,” one local man said yesterday. “BIM closed the boatyard here 30 years ago and it’s derelict since. People and the industry here want reassurance.”