Yesterday's announcement that 69 jobs are to be lost at the electronics company SMTC Manufacturing Corporation came as a blow for the people of Gweedore, Co. Donegal.
There will be an additional loss to the local economy due to the decision by the Udaras na Gaeltachta-sponsored company to put the remaining 110 staff on a three-day week.
But in general, significant job losses are not expected in IDA-supported companies in the north-west. A number of multinationals which recently moved into the region or have announced expansions are keeping to their plans, according to the State agency.
The IDA's regional director for the Border area, Mr Frank Conlon, said while the downturn in the electronics sector was leading to job losses elsewhere it was not expected to have a large impact on the north-west. "We would hope that any job losses within this region would not be significant ones, that if there are any, they would be of a minimal nature," Mr Conlon said.
The north-west has never attracted many companies from the high-tech sector and is therefore not as vulnerable now. But the region has seen significant job losses in more traditional sectors.
The IDA is currently in the process of moving about 10 staff members from its headquarters in Dublin to an expanded office in Sligo with the aim of attracting more industry. Mr Conlon rejected suggestions that with the downturn in the US economy this was now happening "too late".
"In terms of business out of the US it will be a difficult year for us." However, he said the downturn was being seen only in the information communications technology sector - other sectors, such as international services and healthcare, remained strong.
The IDA announced in July it would move 50 Dublin-based staff to three "key regional centres" in Sligo, Athlone and Waterford. This would leave nearly one-third of all employees in the regions.
Two divisions are being moved to Sligo, engineering and international services, and a divisional manager of engineering will also be based in the town. This will bring the total staff in Sligo to 15.
Mr Conlon said it was acknowledged the region was lagging behind. But he added that recruitment was continuing at a number of large plants throughout the north-west.
In Carrick-on-Shannon, the credit card company MBNA had completed their new facility and had now hired about 130 people. Employment is expected to reach 300. In Letterkenny, two American companies, Prumerica and Pacificare, both of whom located in Donegal within the past three years, are carrying through on expansions announced this year.
In Sligo, the town's largest employer, Abbott Ireland, is to build a £43 million pharmaceuticals plant, creating 195 jobs over five years.