Workers at two of the State's largest high-tech employers, Compaq Computers and Lucent Technologies, were briefed yesterday by management about the global economic downturn.

Mr Eoin O'Driscoll, managing director of Lucent Ireland, told some 400 workers at its Blanchardstown plant in Dublin that job cuts could not be ruled out.

However, he said there was no indication at this time that certain types of products or people would be going in the Republic. Mr O'Driscoll was speaking after the firm announced 15,000-20,000 redundancies following fiscal third-quarter losses of $3.25 billion (#3.7 billion).

Meanwhile, 2,200 staff at Compaq Computers in Dublin, Galway and Belfast were sent emails last night by Mr David Wright, managing director of Compaq Ireland. A Compaq spokeswoman said the e-mails contained "key comments" on the company's Irish business following the announcement of further job cuts by Compaq this week.

She said the Irish business had yet to make any person redundant this year because of the economic slowdown and that it had performed positively due to tough controls on costs.

The e-mail to staff said that Compaq had grown 9 per cent year-on-year despite the difficult circumstances.