CIF warns 55,000 jobs could be lost in construction

SOME 55,000 construction jobs could be lost by the end of 2010 unless the Government stimulates the sector, the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) has warned.

Output in the industry could fall to € 14 billion by the end of 2010 compared with over €38 billion in 2007, it said in a submission to the Government on economic recovery.

The CIF has called on the Government to introduced a first-time buyer’s tax credit and a scheme to encourage people to insulate their homes. It is also seeking investment in public capital projects to continue.

Meanwhile some 220 job losses were announced in counties Cork, Kildare and Tyrone yesterday, while the future of 130 Limerick jobs were in doubt.

In Cork, international medical technologies firm GE Healthcare said it is to lay off 50 members of its 500-strong workforce at its plant in Carrigtwohill, east Cork.

The company informed workers at the plant that, following a business review, it would be adjusting production in its medical diagnostic divisions to better match projected consumer demand over the next 12 months.

“While the exact number of roles affected by these changes is subject to consultation, the company anticipates that up to about 50 roles could be affected over the next 12 months,” said the company in a statement.

With its headquarters in the UK, GE Healthcare is a leading provider of medical imaging and information technologies, medical diagnostics and patient monitoring systems, and employs more than 46,000 people in over 100 countries.

GE Healthcare, said in its statement that it regretted the loss of any job, and would work hard to minimise as far as possible the impact of any changes.

Local Cork East Fine Gael TD David Stanton said GE Healthcare was one of the largest employers in east Cork.

He has described the loss of the 50 jobs as a massive blow to the area, which has already seen unemployment rise by 84 per cent in the last year.

Kildare County Council has revealed that it is to lay off 79 workers over the next two months as part of the Government’s plan to reduce payroll costs in local authorities by 3 per cent.

The council said 48 staff on fixed-term contracts have been issued letters advising them that their contracts will not be renewed after the end of January.

A further 31 workers whose contracts expire in February and March will also be issued with non-renewal notices.

A spokesman for Kildare County Council said the affected staff would come from all areas as the “vast majority of these people can be assigned to any department”.

Meanwhile the future of 130 jobs in one of Limerick’s largest hotels was uncertain yesterday.

Staff at the Castletroy Park Hotel should know by the end of the week if talks to secure their future employment have succeeded.

Management at the four-star hotel confirmed that it has put together a rescue package in an effort to secure the future of the hotel.

Workers were told at a meeting earlier this week that the hotel was experiencing trading difficulties, but was open for business as usual.

In Co Tyrone some 90 jobs are to be cut at an engineering firm, it was announced yesterday.

Dungannon-based Powerscreen warned employees of possible redundancies in October after recording a sharp decline in orders. It manufactures screening and crushing equipment used in the construction, mining and recycling industries, The company cut 70 jobs at the end of last year.