IBEC: Manufacturing sector in urgent need of assistance

IBEC have said that the latest official industrial production figures from the CSO confirm the crisis currently facing Ireland’s traditional manufacturing sector.

IBEC senior economist Fergal O’Brien said: "At first glance it appears that the country’s manufacturing sector is not performing too badly at present – given the turmoil in the global economy, a drop of just 3% in output in the first quarter of the year compares very favourably in international terms.