APPLE Computers has confirmed it is proceeding with plans to increase employment at its Cork plant to 2,000 by the end of 1998.

The news comes despite a warning from a senior executive at the California based computer corporation this week that Apple could look to sell its factories in Ireland and in Singapore, as part of and future cost saving plan. Apple corporation's chief financial officer. Mr Fred Anderson, said that while it had no immediate plans to do so at present, it would "continue to evaluate" these plants.

Apple plans to reduce its worldwide workforce by 600 in an attempt to reduce its operating costs.

However, speaking to The Irish Times yesterday, a spokeswoman for Mr Anderson said Apple was "very happy" with its Irish operations. "We have developed good relationships there and have no plans to pull out of Ireland at the present."

Apple Computers is proceeding with plans to boost its Cork operation, and has so far added around third of the 600 new jobs announced for the plant. A spokesman for Apple in Ireland said the company had made a public commitment to strengthening its Cork manufacturing base and was continuing with a £10 million investment in production facilities for it printed circuit boards.

The equipment was being transferred to Cork from a plant it sold in Sacramento, California and was expected to help to keep production costs down.

Apple has managed to restore staff numbers at the Cork plan back to more than 1,500, having reduced them to around 1,200 a the height of the group's financial difficulties.

Its most recent results, for the fourth financial quarter to the end of September last, recorded a surprise £15.6 million profit on sale of £1.45 billion. Apple had previously indicated that its loss making period would come to an end by next March.

Despite the better than expected results, Mr Anderson warned that the next quarter could be difficult for Apple, indicating some increase in its expenses and tighter margins.

Apple's senior management in Cork aims to improve productivity at the plant by 15 per cent, concentrating on increasing the efficiency of its processes and cutting its stock levels.

The Apple Corporation has been aggressively cutting costs world wide for some time and industry analysts have suggested that it. actions have been timely and may be sufficient to ensure a profitably future.