A Mayo TD says the loss of two major contracts has contributed to the news that the Northgate Information Solutions Business Centre in Castlebar is to close from December 2^nd.

According to Mayo Fianna Fail TD Lisa Chambers workers at the facility have told her that the company was due to secure two major contracts, which would have enabled Northgate to keep their Castlebar facility open.

Northgate provides neonatal hearing-screening for the HSE, as well as a computer file management system for hospitals.

Three years ago it was announced that the company hoped to create 150 jobs in Castlebar by 2016.

However the figure employed had only reached 6 this year and all of those staff will now lose their jobs when the centre closes next month.

Deputy Chambers says she understands the redundancy payments will also be poor and staff have been left in a terrible situation coming up to Christmas.