Pharmaceutical firm MSD is to cut 40 jobs from its Irish workforce. The job losses at the company's facility in Rathdrum Co Wicklow are on a voluntary basis, and will be implemented by December next year. Staff were informed of the plans at a meeting with management this morning. MSD, formerly known as Merck Sharpe Dohme, said it was seeking the cuts as part of a competitiveness and cost efficiency programme that will also cover energy costs, improvements in process productivity, maintenance and repair costs, and waste disposal costs.