Cork jobs dispel Donald Trump threat, expert says

Pharmaceutical giant Merck’s announcement of 330 jobs for Cork and Carlow is evidence that multinationals’ fear of US president Donald Trump’s policies are easing — but there could be a threat to Ireland looming from French president Emmanuel Macron, an economist has warned.

UCC economics lecturer Declan Jordan said the decision by Merck — which is known as MSD in Europe — to invest €280m in its manufacturing bases in Cork and Carlow was evidence that fear of Mr Trump’s protectionist rhetoric was overblown.

Mr Jordan said the creation of 210 jobs in Cork and 120 in Carlow by MSD Ireland showed it was back to business as usual in Europe for multinationals who saw Ireland as a gateway to the continent.