The UNITE Trade Union is calling on the Government to step in and help to find a buyer for a pharmaceutical plant in Co Tipperary.

Ranbaxy is due to close its plant in Cashel, with the loss of more than 100 jobs.

UNITE says the plant has always been profitable and has a dedicated and highly-skilled workforce.

Gaa pitch

Regional organiser with UNITE Tony Kelly, said the next Government needed to take action to save these jobs and create more in the local area.

"We'll be asking the incoming government to follow through on commitments made in the action plan for jobs in the south-east, now that includes commitments to establish what they call bio-pharma mid-tech jobs," he said.

"Obviously in that forum we would expect that there would be union representation on that forum so as to ensure that we would have involvement in terms of how that would happen."