Deirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

I asked about this company because the jobs lost were high-tech in nature. Some 10% of employees had post-graduate qualifications while 50% of those in the technology centre had attained a fourth-level standard of education. In the Taoiseach's acceptance speech recently he spoke of the value of science, technology and innovation and suggested these are the types of jobs we seek to create. I am concerned about these developments and I wish to hear the Minister's reaction to these job losses, as they are high-end in nature and the type of jobs on which we are basing the future of the economy. The Minister of State mentioned cost factors in his reply. Perhaps he could expand on the cost factors influencing this decision.

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