197 jobs are to go at Mothercare Ireland.
The family-owned baby and maternity retailer says the impact of COVID-19 on the business has been unprecedented and it has been decided to place the company into liquidation.
All 14 stores in the republic will not reopen.
Managing Director Jonathan Ward said that the company was experiencing supply chain issues earlier this year and would have been set to make substantial losses when the impact of COVID-19 was factored in.
It is understood that the company was marginally profitable in recent years and that COVID-19 was forecast to slash 2020 sales by up to 40%.
RTÉ reports that Ward called each of the 197 staff members personally to inform them of the news yesterday.
Mothercare has had no outlets in the South East since it closed its Waterford city branch in 2019.
