Up to 290 jobs are being lost in Dublin and Donegal. Largo Foods is to close its plant in Donegal with the loss of 140 jobs. Meanwhile distribution company Wincanton may cut as many as 150 jobs from its base in Blanchardstown.

Largo is closing its factory at the Gaoth Dobhair Business Park in the Donegal Gaeltacht. 110 full-time and 30 part-time jobs will be lost in the closure.

The manufacturer and distributor of snack foods says it will offer 70 workers the opportunity to take jobs at its headquarters in Ashbourne, Co. Meath. But it is not clear how many might be in a position to take the offer.

Maurice Hickey, CEO of Largo Foods, said "Our proposal to transfer manufacturing from Gweedore has been made necessary by the need for the company to continuously reduce costs in the very competitive snack-food market".

He told Highland Radio he hopes the offers will be taken up.

85% of the output from the Gweedore plant is exported to the UK and further afield. The firm says the volume of production at this plant does not provide the scale of activity necessary to produce snack-foods in a cost-effective manner.

They say they are working closely with Udaras na Gaeltachta and Enterprise Ireland to address issues arising from this plan.

Meanwhile distribution firm Wincanton says 150 of its workers in Blanchardstown face potential redundancy as it loses its contract with supermarket retailer Musgrave in September.

It says this follows a decision by Musgrave to supply all of its stores from its Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland distribution network located in Dublin, Kildare and Cork.

It says it is taking its distribution network in-house and will be hiring around 134 new workers at bases in Cork, Kilcock and Fonthill.