Irish firms court Welsh workers

North Wales workers have already found jobs in Ireland

A number of Irish companies desperate to find more staff are hoping to recruit Welsh workers at a Jobs Fair.

They are looking for people to fill vacancies in the building industry, hotel and catering as well as administrators and electricians.

The two-day event, which begins in Holyhead on the island of Anglesey on Friday, will be opened by Assembly First Secretary, Rhodri Morgan.

Over the last few weeks Holyhead Job Centre has arranged work for 50 people in Ireland.

Earlier in the year a recruitment agency from Dublin visited north Wales looking for people to work in the Irish Republic.

The agency offered more than 1,000 jobs to people in Holyhead where the unemployment rate is twice the UK average.

The port is 90 minutes away from Ireland using the latest generation of fast ferries.

Dublin has seen rapid growth in the last 10 years

The unemployment rate in Ireland has fallen by half since 1994.

One quarter of Irish companies are reported to be looking for staff, according to the Dublin-based Economic and Social Research Institute.

With help from European Objective One funding, the Irish economy has continued to boom.

Workers from Spain and Portugal have already taken advantage of the EU employment laws to take jobs in Ireland.

Audrey Jones from Holyhead Job Centre said there were many opportunities available.

"We're looking at Dublin and Dun Laoghaire in particular because it is within commuting distance from Anglesey - just an hour and half across the Irish Sea on the ferry," said Ms Jones.

"You can get the Dart train into Dublin - it is quite feasible to commute backwards and forwards," she added.