Vol. 570 No. 2
109 Ms Lynch asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps it is intended to take to secure alternative employment or provide retraining for the 200 full-time and part-time workers who are to lose their jobs as a result of the announcement by a company (details supplied) in County Cork that it was shedding these positions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18468/03]
I very much regret the job losses announced by Flextronics in Cork, a major supplier of networking products to the IT sector. The company has stated that it will be seeking 90 voluntary redundancies from its permanent staff. Flextronics is also laying off 110 temporary staff as part of its cyclical temporary staff adjustment. This will bring the total workforce in Flextronics, Cork, to about 900.
I understand that the decision by the company follows a period of extreme price pressure on some of its electronics assembly business for a major client. This business will now transfer to competing lower-cost contract manufacturers in Thailand.
FÁS, the national training authority, has already been in contact with company representatives to discuss a detailed programme to assist those who are being made redundant to find suitable alternative employment. It has offered to make available its full range of support services including skills analysis, jobs placement, guidance and counselling interviews, identification of training needs and suitable training courses. It will also ensure ongoing support and action to keep redundant workers in touch with the labour market. In addition, Enterprise Ireland and the Cork city and county enterprise boards will provide advice and support to workers interested in setting up their own business.
Ireland's recent economic success has changed its profile as a location for new investment. Future investment will require more advanced skills in high value-added activities, often connected with research activity, such as software development and IC design. IDA continues to work closely with the existing base of client companies to improve competitiveness and to support the ongoing development of Irish based operations under its strategic competitiveness programme.
