Harney urges flexibility from industry

IRISH industry will have to become more productive, inventive and flexible to survive the increasingly competitive global market, Tánaiste Mary Harney warned.

Announcing a major review of the country’s industrial performance, Ms Harney said the success of recent years had been built on the back of a low-cost, low-wage environment which no longer characterised the economy.

“We can get a bit complacent,” Ms Harney said. “Nobody owes us a living and nobody has to buy our products. They will only do so with competitive reason.”