ICTU President Senator Joe O’Toole accused multinational firms in Ireland of chewing up resources, placing a precedent on profit rather than investment in education and the future of young people.
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Speaking today at the Parnell Summer School in Dublin, Senator O’Toole said: "Large multinationals, whether in IT or traditional, place no intrinsic value on education, no value on personal development and have no commitment to the Irish economy, Irish workers or to generating wealth for this country".
Senator O’Toole said this was proved through the closure of Fruit of the Loom and most recently Gateway. He said such companies "lured" young people into full-time employment before they achieved any educational qualifications.
When the companies closed they left an unqualified workforce in their wake, he said.
"Gateway was different [to Fruit of the Loom] only to the extent that it offered inducement to young people on completing their Leaving Cert to join the company rather than go on to Third level," Senator O'Toole said.
"Given a choice between the future of our people or a quick profit, profit will always come first".
Senator O’Toole called for an emphasis on education where people could only begin work when they have a skill, trade, or third level degree/diploma; tax incentives or grants be used to encourage firms to set up research and development divisions in Ireland; and more State support be given to Irish companies.
Although not blaming the dot.com age for all the deterioration in values and education, he said: "Too many in industry see education as merely a narrow conduit for the production of a disposable workforce; the perception of education is still about the three "Rs" or other measurable things".