150 jobs go as Philips shuts Dublin office

The Taoiseach has been called on to convene a meeting of social partners in the wake of the announcement that 150 job are to be lost in Dublin.

The jobs are to be lost at Philips Electronics' European Accounting Services centre in Leopardstown. The company is moving its operation to Poland.

Fine Gael called on Mr Ahern to convene a meeting of the social partners "to ensure that the new partnership deal tackles the growing problem of job losses."

The party's enterprise, trade and employment spokesman, Mr Phil Hogan, added: "I very much regret the job losses at Philips, but I am particularly concerned that the jobs are moving to Poland. These are not yellow-pack jobs, but the type of high-value jobs the Tánaiste is supposed to be bringing to Ireland. How much more proof does the Tánaiste need that Ireland is being priced out of the jobs market by Eastern Europe and the Far East?"

Labour's Mr Eamon Gilmore said the immediate priority Ireland "cannot afford to haemorrhage jobs to other parts of Europe or the world at the current rate... The Tánaiste must begin to address this situation before announcements such as today's become commonplace."

Royal Philips Electronics NV told workers today of its decision to close the plant by the end of June.  The centre is responsible for the back-office administration of the European accounting functions of Philips Consumer Electronics division.

The European Accounting Services centre in Dublin was founded in May 1998 and began operating in March 1999.  The company says there will be opportunities for up to 50 people to obtain alternative employment with Philips at various other locations outside Ireland.

General Manager, Mr Remco Steenbergen, said: "We deeply regret having to make this announcement. This operation has successfully fulfilled its operational and innovative role and established the benchmark for the introduction of Financial Shared Service Centres in Philips.

"The decision to close is directly related to the highly competitive nature of the global electronics business... Poland offers cost advantages that were impossible to ignore."