Primark to cut 150 jobs across Ireland and Britain
PRIMARK is set to cut over 150 jobs in Ireland and Britain as part of a global restructuring plan.
The majority of the layoffs - roughly 100 jobs - will hit Primark's international headquarters in Dublin.
Departments such as HR and finance are expected to bear the brunt of the cuts.
These plans will see a number of services outsourced to third-party providers.
'As we continue to grow internationally, we need to evolve our operating model to best support this ambition,' a company spokesperson said in a statement.
'This, unfortunately, will impact a number of colleagues, primarily in our head office operations.'
The company added that the restructuring is designed to help it 'focus resources on what we do best' and emphasised that affected staff will be supported through the transition.
Under Irish employment law, Primark has notified Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke and Minister of State for Retail Alan Dillon of its collective redundancy plans.
Social Protection Minister Dara Calleary assured workers that state supports are available.
'My immediate thoughts are with the workers and their families,' Calleary said.
'We will ensure they receive access to income supports and help transitioning into new employment or training opportunities.'
Labour TD Marie Sherlock called the move 'devastating', urging Primark to reconsider.
'Penney's is not just a retailer - it's a beloved Irish brand woven into our communities. I urge management to explore every avenue to retain these jobs and work constructively with unions.'
The job cuts come amid continued pressures across the retail sector.
On June 20 River Island announced it would shut over 30 stores in Britain and Ireland due to rising costs and a shift toward online shopping.
Primark, owned by Associated British Foods, also recently downgraded its sales forecast for 2025.
The company is now projecting low single-digit sales growth for the year ahead.
See More: Dara Calleary, Job Losses, Marie Sherlock, Primark
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Independent
3 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Mother and baby home survivors may lose UK welfare benefits if they receive the Irish redress payments
Compensation payments will be classed as savings – unless UK ratifies 'Philomena's Law' Today at 00:40 Mother and baby home survivors now living in the UK are 'effectively barred' from the Irish state redress scheme, because accessing funds would cut off their British welfare benefits or housing supports. Others living in the United States have had their national medical insurance or social security withdrawn as a result of receiving redress payments, according to a report sent to the Government.
Irish Independent
3 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Can you hear me now? Ireland hosts European agency summit on space connectivity
With the global space economy projected to exceed €1.8 trillion by 2035, there are vast opportunities for businesses in telecoms, tech, advanced materials and more. More than 250 delegates from the optical and quantum communications sectors – around 20pc of them from Ireland – gathered in Dublin at the European Space Agency's 8th ScyLight Conference. They came from industry, academia, space agencies, governments and other stakeholders across Europe, Canada, Japan, the US and Australia to discuss how to build secure, high-capacity, space-based connectivity. Just as fibre optics are replacing copper cables on Earth, space communications are transitioning from traditional radio waves to high-capacity laser-based systems – an area where Ireland is building real strength. The conference offered Irish companies such as mBryonics, Pilot Photonics – recent winner of the Innovation Challenge Prize at the 2025 Paris Space Week – and Eblana Photonics, an international platform to raise their profile and build new partnerships. Likewise, research-performing organisations such as the Walton Institute (Southeast Technological University), the Tyndall Institute (UCC) and DCU also got to share their work, with speakers from each addressing the conference. One of the organisers was Deirdre Kilbane, who leads IrelandQCI, the Irish arm of EuroQCI, the EU-wide quantum communications infrastructure programme. Quantum technology is used to increase communications security. Attendees were welcomed by Declan Hughes, the Secretary-General of the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment and Marina Donohoe, Head of Research, Innovation and Infrastructure at Enterprise Ireland. IDA clients also attended Scylight, including Viasat, a satellite network operator with offices in Ireland, and Altera, which spun out of Intel earlier this year. While Ireland might not always be perceived as a space pioneer, 2025 marks 50 years since Ireland became a founding member of the European Space Agency. Most of the companies engaging with ESA are spinouts from third-level funded research Numerous Irish businesses are making a significant contribution to the global space industry across areas such as satellite communications, navigation systems and Earth Observation. Recent growth in the sector in Ireland can be credited at least in part to the 2019 National Space Strategy for Enterprise. Since its launch, the number of Irish companies engaging with ESA has grown to 116 from 25 in 2014. ADVERTISEMENT Many of these companies, including all three mentioned above, are spinouts from third-level funded research. Most if not all have also benefited from Enterprise Ireland and Research Ireland (formerly Science Foundation Ireland) funding and support. Through the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund, for example, we have helped to launch and scale several space-focused projects, including FreeForm Optix, The National Space Subsystems and Payloads Initiative, and CAMEO, which is advancing Ireland's capabilities in Earth Observation. Ireland's growing space ecosystem also supports broader policy goals – from enhancing digital sovereignty to enabling secure communications and contributing to Europe's technological leadership. To learn more about Ireland's space industry or to discuss opportunities to pivot into this market, please get in touch with the Irish Delegation to ESA.
Agriland
3 hours ago
- Agriland
AHDB: International grain and oilseed prices on the rise
International grain and oilseed prices rises have risen in line with a strengthening oil market, according to analysts with the Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board (AHDB). There are also indications that crop concerns and short covering by speculative traders have supported cereal prices over recent days. In the US, heavy rain has delayed the winter wheat harvest, while spring wheat crops have improved after a dry start. Meanwhile, conditions continue to look generally positive for maize and soya bean crops with planting almost complete. Limited rainfall is also a concern in Canada. According to AHDB, planting is complete in the top grain and canola (rapeseed) growing province, Saskatchewan. However, rain will be needed to support crop development. In France, ongoing dry weather has meant declines in crop condition scores. The winter barley harvest is now underway in that country. Where spring barley is concerned, the proportion in 'good or very good' condition has fallen from 71% to 67% over recent days. Dry weather is also impacting Russia, particularly in the country's main winter wheat growing areas. However, the Russian government currently forecasts the 2025 crop at 90.0 megatonnes (Mt), up from last year's 82.6Mt. In addition, the grain harvest is also underway in southern Ukraine, which has likewise felt the effects of dry weather. The country's farm ministry expects a wheat crop of 20.0–22.0Mt, compared to almost 23.0Mt in 2024. Irish cereals harvest The Irish winter barley harvest is expected to kick-off in a few days' time. The forecast yields for all winter cereal crops grown in Ireland during 2024/25 remain strong. In contrast, many spring crops sown out in April came under considerable stress on the back of the very dry conditions across the country during the entire month of May. The winter oilseed rape harvest will follow on at the end of July. And here again, yields look to be promising despite the significant damage caused by pigeons grazing many crops back in February. Disease pressure on crops remains low at the present time. However, bucking this trend somewhat has been a late season impact of Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus on spring barley crops. Teagasc research scientists are currently investigating the reasons for this. Meanwhile, Met Éireann is forecasting somewhat changeable weather for the first week of July. However, there is the prospect of drier and warmer conditions prevailing as the month progresses.
