Over 500 workers were last night coming to terms with the loss of their jobs just a few weeks before Christmas.

Workers at the Abbott Vascular Devices plant in Galway had their worst fears realised yesterday afternoon when management at the multi-national told them the factory was going to close.

Abbott Vascular, Galway.

Management blamed the closure decision on 'over-capacity' of its medical devices and said the plant would close next September with the loss of all 500 jobs.

Workers leaving the premises yesterday evening, many of them visibly angry, said they had not been forewarned.

"There is nothing we can do about it now in any event," said one worker who said she did not want to be named.

One of her colleagues said they had not choice now but to start looking for work and he hoped to find alternative employment in Galway.

"There is never a good time to get this sort of news, but coming a few weeks before Christmas makes it harder to take in," he said.

Abbott Vascular Devices is an Illinois-based healthcare giant that employs a workforce of 65,000 worldwide. A spokesperson said the Galway closure would not impact on its Clonmel plant where 1,300 are employed. The jobs cuts reduce Abbott's overall Irish workforce to 3,300 in six locations.

Abbott Vascular Devices opened in Galway in 2002 manufacturing vascular stents and the workforce grew from 180 to its current level of 500.

Management broke the news to the workers at a mass meeting yesterday afternoon in the plant at the Mervue Business and Technology Park.

Company Vice-President, Damian Halloran said that it had been a very difficult day for everybody and paid tribute to his staff.

He said that Abbott now hoped to identify employment opportunities elsewhere, primarily at the Clonmel plant, for 50 to 100 of the Galway workers.

"The reason for this decision is that we can make more product than we need and we have to take appropriate action, if we are to remain competitive. This is not being done for cost reasons and we are not moving the jobs elsewhere to a cheaper economy.

"Our 1,300 workers in Clonmel are not affected by this decision and it will remain a key site for our vascular business. Abbott is committed to Ireland.

"We deeply regret the impact of this on our employees who are a wonderful bunch of people," said Mr Halloran.