Payments firm PayPal has proposed cutting up to 205 Irish-based jobs.
Staff were informed of the decision today and a consultation process will now begin.
The company currently employs more than 1,800 people in Ireland.
“These proposed changes are subject to consultation and no redundancies will take effect until after a consultation process has concluded,” the company said in a statement.
PayPal said it is offering discretionary enhanced redundancy and support packages.
A spokesperson added that the company remains committed to Ireland, where it will continue to employ over 1,600 people after the redundancies.
Earlier this week, PayPal announced plans to cut around 2,500 jobs globally, or 9% of its workforce.
A letter to staff from CEO Alex Chriss said the decision was made to “right-size” the company through both direct cuts and the elimination of open roles throughout the year.
In March 2023, PayPal announced 62 redundancies in Dundalk and Dublin, and the closure of its Dundalk office.
The remaining staff in Dundalk were to move to remote working.
At the time of last year’s announcement, the company said it would sell its site in Ballycoolin in Dublin, and move to a smaller, more central location in Dublin.
In January 2023, PayPal announced 2,000 job cuts globally which was around 7% of its total workforce.
Reacting to today’s announcement, Sinn Féin TD for Louth Ruairí Ó Murchú said around half of the redundancies sought by PayPal are remote workers who were based at its former site in Dundalk, Co Louth.
Mr Ó Murchú said: “The announcement by online payments giant PayPal that up to 205 redundancies are to be sought is a terrible blow for workers and their families at the start of the new year.”
He said it is understood the redundancies will be split equally between Dublin and Dundalk.
Mr Ó Murchú said he was advised by a company representative that around 9% of the Irish-based workforce will be affected.
He said that while dates were subject to change, it was expected that a 30-day consultation period will start next week with redundancies completed by 25 March.
In a statement, Mr Ó Murchú said it is understood the cuts will affect PayPal teams across the Irish operations.
He called on PayPal to fully consult with their staff and put help and supports in place for those who are affected.
“This is not the first time that these loyal and hard-working employees have faced the uncertainty of a round of job losses and PayPal has to ensure that they are treated fairly and compassionately through this process,” he said.
Mr Ó Murchú also said the State should support those who are losing their jobs to find alternative employment.
“All arms of the State should be used to support those who are losing their jobs to find alternative employment and be assisted through this very difficult time,” he added.
Labour’s TD for Louth Ged Nash described the announcement as an “extremely worrying development”, which comes “on top of the tranche of redundancies over the last three years”.
Mr Nash said that he reminded PayPal that Irish law insists no workers be made redundant until a meaningful month-long statutory redundancy engagement process has been completed with staff representatives.
He said: “On this basis, I have also requested that the company identifies other cost-saving measures as an alternative to redundancy and that workers who may potentially be impacted would be offered the chance to be redeployed to other roles first, as an alternative to the nuclear option of redundancy.”
Additional reporting Laura Hogan
