Two prominent motor dealerships in Dublin have collapsed as figures show new car sales fell by 19 per cent in the last 12 months.
Winfield Motors, which had garages and showrooms in Sandymount and Dun Laoghaire, announced today it was shutting down after 30 years in business, with the loss of 30 jobs.
In a statement, company directors Seamus Byrne and Martin Mannion said their financial difficulties had been made worse by the crisis in the property market.
It is understood they were trying to sell one of the sites in an attempt to rescue the business but could not find a buyer.
Westland Motors, in Liffey Valley, west Dublin, is also being wound up with the loss of 25 jobs.
The Peugeot dealership put the drop in sales much higher than the official figures and also blamed the increasing number of cheaper imports being brought in from Northern Ireland and Britain.
“The Irish motor industry has seen a sharp decline this year with sales down by almost 70% on 2008 levels,” said a spokesman.
The lay-offs were followed by official figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) showing new car sales plunged 19 per cent last year on the previous 12 months.
Alan Nolan, Society of the Irish Motor Industry (Simi), signalled there was little chance of any recovery for the beleaguered industry in the near future.
“The outlook is pretty bleak. We have said that the industry is facing a very difficult year,” he said.
“This is compounded by extreme pressure from the financial sector and the high levels of UK and Northern Irish vehicle imports.”
PA