UP TO 200 jobs are at risk in Drogheda after medical tech firm Becton Dickinson (BD) are to close their operations at their site in the Co Louth town.

The Dáil heard today that the BD site is the only plant which is backed by Ireland’s Foreign Direct Investment Agency (IDA) in Drogheda and could uproot the lives of the highly-skilled workers in the town, forcing them to seek work in Dublin.

The site has been in Drogheda for 60 years and will wind down operations over the next two and a half years, planning to close its doors in 2026.

Labour Party TD Ged Nash today in the Dáil said that the decision by BD to close its manufacturing plant is a direct result of a lack of investment into Drogheda and the business itself. 

The Louth TD asked the Taoiseach Simon Harris to work with him to establish an expert-led enterprise task force to gain and retain foreign direct-investment jobs in Drogheda and other places in the county.

Workers’ union Siptu has also said that all stakeholders need to meet to discuss this closure, including the Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke, in order to discuss plans to save or attract quality jobs for Drogheda and the surrounding areas.

Siptu’s Manufacturing Divisional Organiser, Neil McGowan, said BD has provided “quality employment for decades in the county Louth area” and the announcement is a “devastating blow” to the workers and their families.

Harris said he was “very sorry” to learn of the potential job losses in Drogheda and promised to work with Nash through the closure of the plant.

He added that he is to meet with enterprise stakeholders in Drogheda about the future of the town very shortly.

A spokesperson for BD has said that the company recognise that the announcement will be “difficult news for employees working at the plant” but ensured that the decision to close the site was not a reflection of the standard of their work.

“As a responsible business, we have to ensure that all of our operations are efficient and that our resources are allocated in the most effective manner possible,” the spokesperson added.

Enterprise minister Peter Burke today acknowledged BD’s announcement and recognised it as “hugely disappointing news as the company has provided significant employment in Drogheda”.

“We will examine each option to minimise the impact on employees. The full range of state supports will be made available to the employees,” he added.

McGowan outlined that Siptu are not expected to accept “anything less than concentrated and swift Government intervention” to ensure an IDA-backed manufacturing company remains in Drogheda.

The BD spokesperson said that it is currently working with the IDA, and will continue to work with the agency, “with a shared goal to find a new owner for the site that can transition the facility to its own manufacturing needs”.