Irish industries face job losses

UP to 20,000 jobs could be lost in Irish-owned industries over the next five years, according to one of the country’s top economists.

This is in addition to the 20,000 jobs already lost over the last four years, after the industry peaked in 2001.

Davy economist Rossa White said: “Unless we keep improving competitiveness by boosting productivity in indigenous manufacturing and by keeping real CPI-adjusted wage inflation at worst in line with productivity growth, I fear that further jobs will be lost over the next four or five years.”