Cork was dealt another jobs blow yesterday with news that French-owned office supplies manufacturer Elba is to close its factory in Youghal later this year with the loss of 55 jobs.
Management at the plant, which was taken over 12 months ago by Elba, called staff together for a meeting yesterday afternoon and informed them of the decision to close the factory at Foxhole Industrial Estate in September.
Youghal suffered a major blow last November when a long-established local employer, US-owned Couristan Carpets, announced it was to close with the loss of 92 jobs.
Over the past four years, the town has suffered a spate of job losses, with some 200 jobs being lost in 2003 when Technicolour Home Entertainment, formerly Eastman Kodak, announced it was closing, and Artesyn Technologies closing in 2002 with the loss of 160 jobs.
Local Sinn Féin councillor Sandra McLellan said the Government seemed to be willing to allow Youghal become a commuter town with no local industry but such a policy would have a detrimental effect on local businesses.
Yesterday's announcement comes in the wake of a series of jobs losses in Cork city and county, with Pfizer in Ringaskiddy announcing that it is to cut 65 jobs at one of its plants and seek buyers for two other plants, which employ a total of 480 people.
Last week, Motorola announced it was going to consult its 350 staff at its Blackrock plant amid expectations that it is to close. FCI in Fermoy announced last month that it is to close with the loss of 240 jobs.
Fine Gael Cork East TD David Stanton said the area was fast becoming an unemployment black spot.
"Over the past seven years, in the region of 2,000 jobs have been lost to Youghal. Today's announcement is just another in a long list of job losses including Motorola, Pfizer and FCI and shows that Fianna Fáil and the PDs are failing to keep Ireland competitive in industry," he said.
"Youghal is a small town and the loss of 55 jobs will have a massive impact on the town."
He said there had been a total failure by the Fianna Fáil/PD Government and Minister for Enterprise Micheál Martin to tackle the jobs crisis in Youghal. "They have failed to retain industry, failed to attract foreign multinationals and failed to develop indigenous industry," he added.
"Despite factory closures in Youghal, the town is still without natural gas, has poor broadband access and the road infrastructure connecting the town to Cork is dire," Mr Stanton said.