A recent survey of American Chamber of Commerce members has revealed that there is currently up to 1500 job vacancies in US companies in Ireland.

The survey also showed that multinational companies remain strong here despite the current economic climate with Citco, Cognex, Arris, Alcon, De Puy, EMC and Pfizer all having announced significant investments in their Munster operations recently.

Overall, there has been more jobs created by US employers this year then have been lost to disinvestment. Figures show that up to 90 per cent of all new investment announced by IDA Ireland this year has come from US companies.

Addressing American Chamber of Commerce members in the south region this week, Paul Duffy, Chairman of the South Region and Pfizer Vice President for Manufacturing, Ireland and Singapore, said, "It is very encouraging in the current economic environment that US companies remain open for business and are actively recruiting new staff. Many of the 1500 jobs currently available are high end, high value jobs which augurs well for the continued growth of the multinational community here in Ireland".

Addressing the lunch, Mr. Joseph Quinlan, Senior Fellow at the Centre for Transatlantic Relations of Johns Hopkins University said that the recession in the American economy will take the steam out of foreign direct investment by American companies and that Ireland will have to ensure that it has the appropriate policies in place to ensure a continuation of FDI by American companies.

"There will be a cyclical slowdown and with corporate earnings contracting everywhere, the capacity to invest overseas is going to be reduced. Against that background, Ireland has to ensure that it has the policies and structures in place to remain a location of choice for American high-technology, pharmaceutical and service industries."

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