Around 300 workers have been dealt a major blow ahead of the Christmas at multinational software company ZeniMax Online Studios, after the business effectively shut down its base in Galway.

Ironically news of the losses comes in a week that Galway reinforced its positioning as a global hub in its other key employment sector – medical technology – with the announcement of two new high-tech manufacturing facilities in the city.

Medtronic opened a new 20,000 square foot manufacturing facility for a drug-coated balloon to treat peripheral artery disease (PAD). And the German-owned Phenox will open a new medical device manufacturing facility in the New Year, creating 65 jobs over five years.

But on the other side, the Connacht Tribune understands that in the region of 300 full-time and contract employees have been let go from the European Customer Services Centre in Rahoon on the western side of the city.

It is understood that just five or six employees remain at the premises.

It is not known what grant funding was made available by the IDA to the company, but Jobs Minister Richard Bruton said at the launch four years ago that the “investment was won for Galway by IDA Ireland in the face of stiff competition from other European locations”.

Attempts by this newspaper to contact the company’s public relations department for comment have been unsuccessful.

An industry source said: “Around half-a-dozen employees remain, to keep things ticking over, but things have been wound down there. It may be the case that things may pick up again if they have another [game] release.”

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.