IBEC warns against higher wages

IBEC has warned further job losses will occur in the manufacturing sector if workers keep looking for higher wages.

Up to 28,000 jobs were lost last year, and the employers body has said that trend will continue to grow unless competitiveness improves.

The comments come ahead of the next round of talks on the national pay deal, which are due to get underway shortly.

Business leaders want unions and workers to put saving jobs ahead of pay.

IBEC's Turlough O'Sullivan has said: "The take home pay in Ireland is on a par with nearly any other county in the developed world.

"Of course absolute rates of pay are not as high here as they are elsewhere but because of the tax situation Irish workers are very well off."