Galway Bay fm newsroom - Approximately 140 jobs are to go in Galway city with the closure of Debenhams, after it emerged the company's Irish operation is set to go into liquidation.
Trade union Mandate says employees were informed earlier today by letter that Ireland's 11 stories, including the one at Eyre Street in the city, are not expected to re-open
Mandate says 2,000 jobs will be lost in its 11 stores across the country in Dublin, Newbridge in Co Kildare, Galway, Limerick, Tralee, Cork and Waterford.
They had been closed temporarily due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The company says its Irish operations had trading challenges which were exacerbated by the impact of Covid-19.
A liquidator is to be appointed to the Irish operations in the coming days.
General Secretary of Mandate Trade Union, John Douglas says the decision to close it stores here will lead to significant job losses.
Debenhams' 142 stores across the UK are also currently closed, while the majority of its 22,000 workers are being paid under the government's furlough scheme.
It's understood the company is making preparations to resume trading its stores once the government restrictions are lifted.
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