Job losses as Cable & Wireless revamp operations in Ireland

Telecoms and network provider Cable & Wireless has made 30 people redundant, split its business into two divisions and brought in new management at its Irish operations.

The shake-up at the firm was introduced following an extensive business review aimed at consolidating revenue growth and achieving the group's global cost-cutting targets.

The group will now employ 157 people in its two Irish divisions: a systems integration business focused on domestic customers and a global networks division aimed at providing international connectivity.

Cable & Wireless said in March it would cut 4,000 jobs, around 10 per cent of its workforce, over the next 12 months due to increased price competition in the sector.

Mr Gordan Morris, former managing director of Cable & Wireless Ireland, has recently retired and was last week replaced by two divisional managing directors.

Mr Paul Byrne has been appointed managing director of Global Network Ireland and Mr Tadhg Foley has been appointed managing director of Cable & Wireless Ireland.

In addition, Mr Graham Ryan, director of Business Marketing Ireland, will leave the Republic and return to Cable & Wireless in the UK.

The 30 positions have been lost in the two new divisions and will not affect Cable & Wireless's global customer service centre in Shannon, according to online technology portal Electricnews.Net.

This is due to duplication of positions rather than any downturn in Cable & Wireless's Irish operations, according to Mr Paul Byrne, managing director of Global Networks.

"The new structure will enable synergies in administration on both sides of the business and has allowed us to tighten up our processes," he said.

Figures obtained by The Irish Times show Cable & Wireless revenue has grown to £41 million (#52 million) in the financial year to March 31st, 2001, up from £27 million in the financial year 1998-99.