The mood among staff and management at Hewlett-Packard in Leixlip was generally upbeat despite the announcement that the firm was cutting 6,000 staff worldwide.

"We expect it to have minimal impact in Ireland because our site here is very successful and is seen as a key site for Hewlett-Packard worldwide," said Hewlett-Packard's human resources manager for Ireland, Mr Brian Kennan.

"We have been visited by chief executive Ms Carly Fiorina, who is in the process of re-inventing Hewlett-Packard at the moment, and she said our facility is very much the model she's trying to re-invent Hewlett-Packard into."

While the slowdown in PC sales has been reflected in a slowdown in printer sales, the Irish business is still very strong, according to Mr Kennan.

"There are 100 million Hewlett-Packard printers out there in use and we are producing supplies to service those," he said. "So we're somewhat buffeted from short-term fluctuations in retail consumer spending."

He added: "We are certainly seen as central to HewlettPackard's strategy to continue to grow in the consumer printer business. We are taking the manufacturing lead in introducing next technology in inkjet printing."

It is understood that the senior manager in charge of inkjet production at HewlettPackard was in Ireland recently and met with the Tanaiste, Ms Harney, executives from IDA Ireland and Hewlett-Packard's plant manager, where assurances were received that there would be no job cuts at the Irish plant in the foreseeable future.

Staff leaving the plant last night were confident it would escape the global job cuts, despite the fact that the plant has cut back non-essential spending, such as travel.

"Hopefully, we'll ride it out," said one staff member.