SFA: 500 jobs a week being lost in Ireland

An average of 500 jobs are being lost each week in Ireland, according to new figures from the Small Firms Association.

The survey shows that the services industry has been worst affected by redundancies, with more than 4,500 job losses so far this year.

The business group is blaming the job losses on a combination of high inflation, high labour costs and charges, and the fact that wage rates are outstripping productivity growth.

Avine McNally of the Small Firms Association said that at least four out of 10 jobs lost are in Dublin.