Government inertia as unemployment spirals

FIGURES from the Central Statistics Office show that unemployment has risen to 8.3 per cent across the 26 Counties, bringing the total number signing on the Live Register to 120,987.
Sinn Féin’s Arthur Morgan TD said Brian Cowen and his government have spectacularly failed to grasp the gravity of the current situation and the Coalition have failed to produce one single proposal to kick-start the economy. Morgan called for a job-creation plan involving major public infrastructural investment.
“The Irish government has been amongst the last governments in the EU to produce a stimulus package. While the public is watching the state go down the tubes, the Government continues to sleepwalk and unemployment figures continue to rise sharply, reaching 8.3 per cent in December with the loss of a further 22,777 jobs.”

1,900 Dell workers axed – Dell exec paid $10m

DELL workers in Limerick were in shock last week as the computer firm let 1,900 workers go, having a devastating effect on the local economy. Even more shocking came the revelation that the Dell executive who made the decision to lay off 1,900 people will receive a $10m payout for his efforts.
The president of Dell global operations, Mike Cannon, made the decision with Dell CEO Michael Dell and is planning to leave the company in January, pocketing a severance payment of $10m. This is in stark contrast to the 1,900 workers due to be laid off, who will receive six weeks’ pay per year of service capped at 52 weeks in total.

Jobs crisis hits North

IN the North, on the same day as the Dell jobs axe fell, US-owned engineering firm FG Wilson announced it was sacking 260 of its 3,000 workforce.
Meanwhile, in County Tyrone, another engineering company, the Swedish-owned Fintec, said it is laying off 146 of its 250 workers for between four and six weeks.

Jail terms for bus attacks, says union

THE National Bus and Rail Union has called for zero tolerance of assaults on bus drivers and jail terms or heavy fines after an attack on a Dublin Bus driver and the hijacking of a bus last weekend.
The bus driver was left with broken bones and severe bruising following the attack.