Online recruitment company Stepstone, which recently set up in Dublin, is laying off staff in the UK as it restructures. The firm, operating largely out of Britain, said it was outsourcing its production department to its new operation in India with the loss of 16 jobs.

Stepstone employs 31 people in Ireland. Mr Oisin Mulcahy, general manager for Ireland, said yesterday the UK job losses would have no effect on the domestic operation which was hiring workers.