Manufacturing Prosperity
Yesterday NEC Semiconductors announced the imminent closure of its plant in Co. Meath with the loss of 350 jobs. This continues the trend in Ireland’s manufacturing sector of haemorrhaging jobs at an uncomfortable rate. However, much of the talk recently with regard to employment has been about foreign nationals displacing Irish workers.
The whole debate was begun by Labour leader Pat Rabbitte in what many viewed as ‘playing the race card’ in a cynical attempt to garner votes. The unfortunate truth is that the race card is a good card, and when played can beat most hands. This was borne out by the subsequent poll in the Irish Times which showed 78% approval of a re-introduction of some form of work permit or visa scheme for EU workers coming to Ireland.
The notion that cheap foreign labour is displacing Irish workers can be dispelled quite simply. By examining the unemployment figures we can see that there has been little change in the percentage of the work force unemployed. In fact (ah?), the latest figures from the CSO show a drop from 4.4% to 4.2%, the lowest rate in the EU.
So, what for the future of Irish manufacturing? The politicos will tell us “ah sure it’s grand, we’ll just up-skill a bit here, out-source a bit there, modernise a bit there, we can do without manufacturing”. But can we? A commonly cited reason for the success of the Celtic tiger was the entrepreneurial zeal of the modern Irish businessman. Rubbish. It was foreign direct investment in the form of large US companies locating plants here and employing Irish labour (notwithstanding the contribution of EU grants and the stability engendered by ‘social partnership’). If the flight of this sector continues, we may well see a rise in unemployment. Who’d get the blame for that then? Paddy Poland, that’s who.
Published by El Commandant P.
The whole debate was begun by Labour leader Pat Rabbitte in what many viewed as ‘playing the race card’ in a cynical attempt to garner votes. The unfortunate truth is that the race card is a good card, and when played can beat most hands. This was borne out by the subsequent poll in the Irish Times which showed 78% approval of a re-introduction of some form of work permit or visa scheme for EU workers coming to Ireland.
The notion that cheap foreign labour is displacing Irish workers can be dispelled quite simply. By examining the unemployment figures we can see that there has been little change in the percentage of the work force unemployed. In fact (ah?), the latest figures from the CSO show a drop from 4.4% to 4.2%, the lowest rate in the EU.
So, what for the future of Irish manufacturing? The politicos will tell us “ah sure it’s grand, we’ll just up-skill a bit here, out-source a bit there, modernise a bit there, we can do without manufacturing”. But can we? A commonly cited reason for the success of the Celtic tiger was the entrepreneurial zeal of the modern Irish businessman. Rubbish. It was foreign direct investment in the form of large US companies locating plants here and employing Irish labour (notwithstanding the contribution of EU grants and the stability engendered by ‘social partnership’). If the flight of this sector continues, we may well see a rise in unemployment. Who’d get the blame for that then? Paddy Poland, that’s who.
Published by El Commandant P.
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