A further spate of job losses effected various parts of the State yesterday, coming on top of 1,200 job losses announced in Louth, Meath and Carlow on Thursday.
A German multinational is to cut 24 jobs at its plant in Waterford because of the downturn in the economy. HP Chemie Pelzer, which makes sound-proofing materials for the automotive industry and employs 116 at the Waterford plant, said the move was part of a "major cost-cutting exercise" at its 35 plants worldwide.
Mr Tony Kavanagh, the plant's managing director, said market conditions prior to the September 11th terrorist attacks in the United States were already showing signs of a slowdown, particularly in the car industry, following an exceptional performance in 2000 when car sales records were broken.
The future of 15 jobs at online recruitment agency Stepstone in Dublin is uncertain following the decision by its UK parent company to appoint liquidators. Following cutbacks at the firm last summer, the Irish branch of Stepstone came under control of Stepstone UK.
But yesterday, the Norwegian-based company informed its subsidiary in the UK that it would not continue to provide financial support. It is likely the Irish operation will learn its fate next week.
There was more jobs gloom in the north-east and west, with SIPTU officials calling for Government task forces to be set up in counties Monaghan and Leitrim.
This follows the impending collapse of the Montex Holding Jeans Company in Monaghan town and the AJ Richardson sawmills in Newtowngore in Leitrim. Montex had employed up to 70 people in its textile factory until earlier this year. But the remaining 20 jobs are now in danger following the company's decision to cease making jeans in Monaghan in favour of importing all of its stock from Romania and Poland.
Around 20 jobs will also go at the Leitrim sawmills, a subsidiary of Bacus. However, there is some good news in Co Monaghan with the possible takeover of MI Metals in Ballybay by a local family. The metal components firm closed in September with the loss of 25 jobs.
Also in Monaghan, the Monaghan Poultry Products plant, which closed in August with the loss of more than 300 jobs, is to be put on the market as a going concern.
