Slivers of optimism - Hope for Crystal jobs?

YESTERDAY’S shocking jobs figures — with unemployment up 70% in a year — dominated economic news but, thankfully, it was not all doom and gloom.

Even though yesterday’s figures represent the greatest fall in employment since records began there are small but significant grounds for just a sliver of optimism.

Intel have announced a €50m investment in Shannon which will create 134 very badly needed jobs, possibly opening up the prospect of a new career for former Dell workers. As well as the Shannon announcement it was revealed that a consortium has approached the Government to discuss the possibility of buying a controlling stake in the recently nationalised Anglo Irish Bank.

There was a flicker of light in Waterford too when Waterford Wedgwood receiver David Carson announced the sale of the Irish and British businesses.

How wonderful it would be if some of the Waterford Crystal jobs could be saved and how much more wonderful if the deal eased the great worries surrounding that once great company’s pension scheme.