Fermoy job losses - Competitive edge wears off economy

REELING from a threat to axe 300 BUPA jobs, the town of Fermoy in north Cork has suffered another body blow. Though workers have long expected the French company FCI Ireland to close its manufacturing plant, yesterday’s decision was a bombshell for the community.

Regrettably, the plant will close by the end of 2008 with the loss of 240 jobs. Any town, no matter how prosperous, would be rocked by this double whammy.

Fermoy is losing out to a restructuring plan that will move production of precision electrical connectors for the automotive industry to a sweat shop economy.