On the eve of an election, to defuse the situation, then taoiseach Charles Haughey offered these Talbot workers jobs for life in the Civil Service. The composition of manufacturing jobs has also shifted. Across the EU, graduate jobs in manufacturing have risen by 3 million since 2008, while manufacturing jobs for those with just a second-level education have fallen by 4.5 million. Unemployment at 8 per cent, and a drop of 800,000 in French manufacturing jobs since 2008, have proved fertile ground for the National Front. In the Republic the very strong recovery from the 2008 financial crisis was driven by the expansion in the tradable sectors of the economy – manufacturing, IT and professional services.

Source: The Irish Times February 09, 2026 20:21 UTC