The announcement this morning (Thursday) of a further 320 job losses at Cork based company, Tyco Sensormatic, which plans to move its operations to locations which have cheaper cost bases, is a clear signal to Government that it must stop dithering on Ireland’s waning competitiveness and tackle the issue immediately said Fine Gael Cork South Central Senator, Jerry Buttimer.
“This morning’s announcement from Tyco Sensormatic has seen the nightmare, which so many families prayed would not come, become a reality.
“It is understood that Tyco Sensormatic is yet another company which plans to move its operations to locations where work can be done for less. When will the Government hear the alarm bells going off all over the country where Ireland’s competitiveness and ability to compete with overseas industry are concerned?
“This news is the second blow for Cork in less than 48 hours. On Tuesday it emerged that 150 jobs are at risk in Cork manufacturing company Swissco. The electronic assembly industry in Cork, of which Tyco is a part, has been absolutely decimated in the last 12 months with the closure of Motorola in Blackrock with 330 job losses in 2007 and the closure of Hormann Electronics in Mahon with 140 job losses just last May.
“With regard to soaring unemployment, Cork has been seriously badly hit with the number of people on the Live Register increasing by more than 4,000 between March 2007 and March 2008, a jump of 28.8%.
“Since the Dáil last debated the economy in July the Live Register has increased by a further 20,000. That’s the equivalent of 330 people losing their jobs every day. The national unemployment figure is on course to exceed 6% by the year end and there has not been a single Government initiative to restore job creation or confidence in the economy.
“Brian Cowen and his Government must take immediate steps towards putting the economy back on track by cutting VAT, ordering a freeze in Government charges and stealth taxes, allowing real competition in aviation, public transport and energy, continuing investment in infrastructure and launching a war on red-tape and regulation.
“Ireland’s medium-term competitiveness challenges to the Irish economy, such as rolling out next generation broadband, finishing the roads programme, improving the country’s energy efficiency and infrastructure and accelerating the school building programme must be addressed now.”