Pizza Jobs Boost For NI, But Powerscreen Cuts Back

While a Wicklow-based pizza firm has announced plans to expand its franchise presence in Northern Ireland, creating dozens of local jobs, around 90 are being lost elsewhere.

Four Star Pizza, which already has outlets in Belfast, Londonderry and Newtownabbey, is set to open three new shops as part of an all-island expansion plan.

The firm said it expected to create around 200 new jobs across Ireland this year.

As the recession continues to bite, surveys have pointed to a rise in take-away deliveries compared to restaurant diners.

Four Star's Chief Executive Jason Sheehy said there had been a surge in orders in the evening for larger pizzas.

"It seems sensible to suggest that these are being bought by families with staying in being the new going out," he said.

In addition to its 46 Irish franchises, the firm plans to open further outlets in Cavan, Dundalk, Letterkenny, Leixlip and Wexford town, with bases in the Dublin suburbs of Blanchardstown and Ballymun also planned.

However, the news comes at the same time as a major engineering firm announced that it is to lay off almost 100 employees.

Powerscreen - which specialises in the manufacture of mobile screening equipment - is to make more than 90 workers redundant at its Dungannon plant.

The announcement follows on from 70 job cuts made at the facility last year.

Reaction has been swift, with Mid-Ulster MLA Billy Armstrong calling this afternoon for the NI Executive to provide assistance for the area.

The UUP representative said: "This announcement is another hammer blow to the Mid-Ulster Constituency.

"Powerscreen is one of the major employers in this area, the loss of a further 90 jobs, on top of the redundancies which took place at the end of last year, is a further hammer blow to the local economy and business confidence, with a likely knock-on effect on sub-contractors who rely on business from the firm," he said.

"It is now vital that the Executive acts swiftly to help alleviate the burden of job losses which is falling on this area and causing great hardship."

(PR)(BMcC)