IRELAND: British retailer Argos says it will close all 34 of its stores in the Republic of Ireland by the end of June 2024

Dublin: British retailer Argos says it will close all 34 of its stores in the Republic of Ireland by the end of June 2024. Their 580 employees were notified of the decision to close on Thursday morning. The move will not affect its operations in Northern Ireland.

The company told staff that its retail outlet in Portlaoise will close on May 6, the one in St Stephen's Green shopping center a week later, Galway on June 10 and Kilkenny on June 25. All remaining stores are currently scheduled to close on June 24, the company said in a communication with employees.

In the company's latest accounts, the company's Irish operation posted a four-fold increase in pre-tax losses to €13.06 million, as sales fell 21.5 percent to €133.76 million. The figures reported in December included costs associated with closing several stores. It announced at the time that St Stephen's Green and Kilkenny would close, while directors warned that it would "continue to review its portfolio of stores in light of the changing retail environment and the development of the company's online offering". However, there was no indication at the time that the chain of more than 30 remaining stores in Ireland would close so soon.

In a statement, the company said, "The decision to leave Ireland has been reached after a long period of careful consideration and a comprehensive review of our business and operations in the country. Argos said the investment required to develop and modernize the Irish part of its business was not feasible and that the money would be invested in other parts of its business.

The company said it would engage with the trade union mandate, which represents about half the workforce, on the closures and "propose an improved redundancy package that goes beyond statutory obligations". Argos Ireland Operations Manager, Andy McClelland, admitted the news would be difficult for everyone affected.