Minimum wage rise will scupper ‘recovery’

Once again, a manufacturing company is being kicked to touch.

Who would have thought that Cadbury’s would be forced out of our country by high production costs? Jack O’Connor and SIPTU have another notch on their gun.

This is an eye-opener as to the fragility of our so-called recovery and should be a warning to our ministers.

Costs of production here in Ireland are higher than any place else, even in government. Throughout most of the democratic world, members of parliament are on lower salaries than those in Ireland and represent between 60,000 and 80,000 constituents.

Ours, on much higher salaries, represent 16,000 to 20,000 constituents. This over-staffing in the public service is typical and affects large private companies that are unionised.

A senior manager for one of Cadbury’s subsidiaries said that the cost of production in Ireland is double that of other locations.

At the present time, our political parties and trade unions are holding their annual conferences, and foremost on their agendas seem to be a big increase in the minimum wage. If they are not sensible and careful, this will be the final nail in the economic recovery.

How many new ambulances could be bought with the money that will be spent on the ministers and their entourages on St Patrick’s Day jaunts?

Richard Prendergast

Mondaniel

Rathcormac

Co Cork