Republican News · Thursday 9 May 2002

Dismay at Solectron closure

Sinn Féin general election candidate for Dublin North-East Cllr Larry O'Toole has expressed his dismay at last week's announcement that US-based electronics firm Solectron is to close with the loss of 375 jobs.

"My thoughts are with the people who have lost their jobs today," he said. "It is ironic that only two days after May Day, a day of international solidarity for workers, Irish workers find themselves laid off. Following on the closure of the Ardagh Glass recycling plant, this makes over 600 jobs lost in a few days and the repercussions will spread outward throughout the local communities.

"It is not enough for the government to abdicate responsibility for the men and women who have lost their jobs today by ascribing it to the economic downturn or global conditions. The government failed to provide the resources for the growth of indigenous industry. They preferred to rely on foreign-based transnational companies who come into the state, avail of our scandalously low corporation tax rate and then disappear when cheaper opportunities arise."