Focus remains on sectors, such as gaming, with future growth potential
Fine Gael Cork South Central Deputy, Jerry Buttimer, has this morning (Thursday) expressed disappointment over the loss of 200 jobs at Blizzard Entertainment which is seeking redundancies from its Cork operation.
“Blizzard Entertainment has gone from strength to strength in Cork since the establishment of its customer support centre at the Blackpool Business Park. And the company has experienced significant success with games such as World of Warcraft and Diablo.
“The fact that the gaming industry has shown such strong signs of growth and that this sector is one that has been flagged as having solid future potential makes this announcement even more surprising.
“This move comes on the back of a global restructuring and review of the company and I am glad that Blizzard has affirmed its commitment to remaining in Cork. Every effort must now be made to find alternative employment for the staff affected and to ensure that all of the redundancies are made on a voluntary basis.
“This month we have seen a slight dip in the Live Register figures for the third month in a row, but the Government is all too aware that the numbers out of work remain unacceptably high. That’s why the Action Plan for Jobs has been introduced to put in place measures that will make it easier to create jobs and attract investment. Similarly the Pathways to Work initiative aims to find the most effective ways of putting those who are looking for work in contact with employers looking to fill vacancies.
“Cork has a strong presence of ICT and gaming companies and I have no doubt that continued Government efforts to facilitate job creation will be felt in Cork and throughout the country.”