Irish workers ‘must increase productivity’

IRELAND Inc’s workforce will have to work longer and increase productivity to restore the economy’s competitiveness, the head of the centre for International Macroeconomic Analysis at the ESRI warned last night.

The National Competitiveness Council says 32,000 jobs have been lost in manufacturing because of the economy’s competitive slide.

Dr Iulia Traistaru-Siedschlag, speaking at the Dublin Economic Workshop, said restoring external competitiveness requires a decline in unit labour costs.