February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Now political and business leaders are stressing the work force’s productivity and skill levels for companies like Dell, which employs about 4,000 people in Ireland and has operated a manufacturing plant in Limerick since 1990.
Over the last three years, lower wages found in China, India and Eastern Europe have eclipsed Ireland’s financial advantages, spurring many global companies to switch allegiances and scale back or cancel their plans for Irish operations.
Now Ireland is reclaiming its status as a major outsourcing destination by emphasizing its work force’s brainpower and flexibility, instead of lower costs. A new government-sponsored marketing campaign touts the Irish labor force’s ability to work at all levels of the business process, from factory floor to executive suite.
“The work force in Ireland is bright as a button and second to none,” Peter O’Brien, a Wyeth spokesman, said.
IT’S A GAS
Gas price hikes in the U.S. have Irish motorists smiling, according to newspaper reports: prices of $2 a gallon translated into pounds or euro could still represent a significant savings back home.
CELL USERS MAY BE FINED
Mobile phone users in Ireland report overwhelmingly that they routinely break the law and makes calls while driving.
Car kits and headphone sets remain unpopular and the threat of fines and penalty points doesn’t seem to be making a difference, according to business news web site ENN.ie.
But as of June 4, a driver who uses a hand-held mobile phone behind the wheel faces 5 penalty points, a