Despite the current upheavals regarding some jobs in the manufacturing sector, has there ever been a better time to be working in Ireland?

Things have never been so buoyant, and that is true across most sectors. People might question the long-term sustainability of a sector such as construction, but the reality is that government plans, which may be less labourintensive than traditional building projects, still represent a huge investment and huge commitment, which should absorb any downturn in the traditional construction market.

People also point to the job losses in the manufacturing sector, but manufacturing is always up-and-down. We are seeing jobs moving to Eastern Europe, but it needs to be remembered that Irish companies are also engaged in a lot of outward investment, such as professional services and banks looking to Eastern Europe as a destination for their investments. In addition, indigenous manufacturers have been growing through acquisition and organic growth, and these are looking outside of Ireland for major expansion.

So part of this exodus is down to our success, and not simply a result of our lack of competitiveness. But where do you see the major trends in the future that will affect the jobs market?

I feel that a big area will be in shared services. We have had a lot of negative press regarding redundancies in the pharmaceutical sector, but a lot of those were to be expected. Within the pharmaceutical sector, we will see more and more shared services, such as finance, accounting, HR, supply chain and packaging, located in Ireland - although much of the actual manufacturing will be based elsewhere. But, by investing in R&D, we can ensure the longer existence of the pharmaceutical sector in Ireland, with the research, clinical trials, patents and then generics based in this country - keeping the knowledge-based activity in Ireland.

Most job losses seem to be affecting lower-level manufacturing - will the restructuring of the sector start to affect senior businesspeople?

No, I wouldn't say so. We are a nation of entrepreneurs, and we will continue to identify niches across sectors to remain successful - take the example of the renewable energy sector, which is a major industry, not to mention the tag-on businesses that can thrive alongside it.

Has the influx of foreign workers substantially changed the employment market?

In general terms, the presence of foreign workers has not changed much. Most of these migrant workers are in positions that many modern Irish people simply will not do anymore. Because of this, foreign workers are a key driving force of our economy, but they have fit in with our culture well, although there can be problems with communication.

How does a recruitment consultancy adapt to these changing economic conditions?

It is important to remain innovative, and at Sigmar, from day one, our culture was the key to our success. Our service is our consultants, and we sell relationships to our clients. We have set out to create a culture that is not only innovative, but which is inclusive, progressive and fair. When things are buoyant, any company can call a graduate a consultant, but when things become harder, that is where you see the value of an innovative culture. All of our consultants are professional businesspeople, because at Sigmar, we believe that we should add value to the recruitment process. We do this by understanding and listening to our clients.

We're in the employment business, and we were recently voted among the top 10 companies to work for in Ireland, with a special award for credibility. This is because we truly listen to our employees. But, as a company working in the employment business, we fundamentally have to be good employers - so that we do what we say on the tin. Our consultants deal with people on a daily basis, so they have a better understanding than most of what makes a good employer. This is why it is imperative that we create a good place for people to work - and why we continually develop our business to ensure that this happens - that the service provider has become a recognised employer.