Irish jobs unaffected by Royal and Sun Alliance cuts

The British insurance firm Royal and Sun Alliance has said Irish jobs will not be at risk as a result of a major cost-cutting plan announced today.

The company is planning to shed 1,550 jobs worldwide as part of the plan, mostly in Britain.

However, it says its 600 workers in Ireland will not be affected.

The jobs will go by June 2008.

The company said the job cuts would help deliver savings of £70m (€103m) in the next two years in the UK and £130m (€191m) across the group.