Jobs have been lost but others gained: Martin

ENTERPRISE Minister Micheál Martin has said he hopes the 350 workers who are to lose their jobs at Motorola can avail of some of the 2,800 jobs announced in the past 12 months by the IDA in the Cork region.

However, there are now real fears that Ireland is losing its ability to not only secure but also to keep some of the multinational companies providing thousands of jobs across this country.

The Central Bank has warned that inflation is an increasing risk to our export competitiveness — that price levels in this country are already the highest in the euro area. Any further rise in inflation will put pressure on the country’s ability to compete, it warns.

But according to Mr Martin, the Government has been saying all along there has been a turn in the economy. “We have been winning jobs and losing jobs,” he said pointing out that in the past 12 months thousands of jobs have been secured in Cork though companies such as Centocor and Amgen who’ve committed to operations in Ringaskiddy and Carrigtwohill.

“There is no guarantees in this globalised world which is very competitive. We have to watch our cost base. We have to really go up the value chain and invest more in areas such as high skills and research. The rate of productivity growth over the last decade in Ireland has been quite significant relative to any other economy.

“The rate of growth has slowed, particularly in the domestic economy. All the analysis in recent times has shown we need to become more competitive in the domestic economy and that is why we have taken certain decisions in that regard.

“Equally it is important that we are pursuing and continue to pursue the high-end jobs into the future. We have been quite successful in that in 2006.”

However, Fine Gael has said the Government’s confidence is misplaced given the findings of the Central Bank. “The Central Bank has issued a timely reminder to the Fianna Fáil/PD Government of its responsibilities. It is clear that this Government has contributed to a loss in Irish competitiveness — through its fiscal policy, through its pricing decisions and through its failure to promote vigorous competition in sheltered sectors,” said Fine Gael deputy leader and finance spokesman Richard Bruton. “Ireland is not invincible and cannot substitute a booming property sector for the weakening export performance. The FF/PD Government has fuelled this imbalance instead of seeking to fortify our crucial exporting sector.”

Meanwhile, Pfizer yesterday denied reports that more than 300 jobs were being axed. The company has been at centre of speculation that job losses are in the offing in Ireland. A Pfizer spokeswoman said a review of Irish operations was still ongoing and therefore any numbers of jobs losses being mooted were only speculation. The review is due to be completed by the end of the first quarter of this year.