Up to 50 jobs are being lost in Tipperary with the closure of the Clonmel production site of Tullamore Dew whiskey.

William Grant and Sons, which manufactures Tullamore Dew, is shutting down production at its Clonmel site and moving operations to Offaly.

“The news coming out of Tullamore Dew in Clonmel is genuinely shocking," said Independent TD Mattie McGrath.

"At the moment I understand that the workers were only informed of the move within the last hour with no previous notification that this would occur."

40 per cent of the jobs will be lost by this September, with the remainder to go by September 2016.

It comes just days after it emerged dozens of jobs are being cut at another drinks company in Tipperary - Gleeson's in Borrisoleigh.