Vol. 426 No. 3
1 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment if, in view of the increase in recorded unemployment figures to over 300,000 for the first time he will obtain a detailed response from the Culliton group and from the expanded social partners group on the adequacy of the Government's employment proposals to seriously confront the jobs crisis we now face.
4 Mr. Cullen asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the plans, if any, he has to tackle the national jobs crisis in view of the fact that the unemployment figures now officially exceed three hundred thousand people; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
40 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the targets, if any, he has set himself for his term in Office.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1, 4 and 40 together.
I will, of course, co-operate with and take advice from groups like the new National Economic and Social Forum, when it is set up. I have already met both the IBEC and ICTU and exchanged views on the main issues of concern to my Department. However, I am concerned at the suggestion in one of the priority questions that it is more analysis, advisory inputs and consultation that we need now. My priority will be to achieve implementation of sound and sensible strategies for development. I regard the implementation of the Culliton report and recommendations as a priority for Government action. There are issues and actions within it for which I am responsible together with my Department and the agencies which report to my Department, and I intend to progress these rapidly over the next few months. It is by selling more or by getting a better price for what they sell, that our firms can maintain and expand the numbers at work. I intend to focus policy on helping to upgrade basic business capabilities in firms and in their workforce so that the ability of firms to compete, win and hold increased market share is enhanced.
Not all issues and factors that impact on competitiveness are matters for which I am responsible within my Department. However, within a partnership Government I look forward to working jointly with my colleagues in Government to ensure that efficiency, effectiveness and competitiveness of business is a top priority consideration on the agenda of the partnership Government. The Programme for a Partnership Government will be the basis of our approach.
Broadly, I see increasing competitiveness, competitive advantage and capability levels as my primary focus both in my Department and jointly with colleagues in Government. The advice of bodies like the National Economic and Social Forum as well as the Central Review Committee and NESC, will be helpful in that connection.
Actions and programmes to enhance the skill levels of the workforce, including those who are unemployed, to increase their employability, versatility and range of ability and to provide opportunities for them to apply and develop their skills, go hand in hand with the programmes for raising levels of competitiveness in our economy. I intend to see such actions and programmes developed to ensure that people have the skills required to increase their ability to gain and maintain employment. I intend, in particular, to give priority to tapping local initiatives and, as a result, I will be giving special attention to the establishment of the county enterprise partnership boards.
A major contribution to facing the challenge of increased competition has been made in recent years by employers, trade unions and farmers working together at national level with the Government towards common goals as set out in the Programme for National Recovery and the Programme for Economic and Social Progress. I endorse this approach in our society of moving from conflict to consensus and I hope we can continue along this road in spite of a difficult external environment which has in turn caused considerable problems in our economy both economically and socially. It is precisely in such difficult circumstances that we need to co-operate at both national and local level to ensure that sectoral interests do not endanger overall progress. Both the Programme for National Recovery and the Programme for Economic and Social Progress were conceived in adverse circumstances but they have both proven to be useful to all the interests involved. Any future agreement has to achieve that objective but I would hope, in spite of the difficulties there will be in future negotiations, that we can continue on the path of consensus and co-operation in the interests in particular of those who are without employment in our society.
I will, therefore, be supporting the continuation of the consensus approach when the present agreement ends at the end of this year.
Would the Minister agree that what he outlined is essentially continuing with the policies of the outgoing Government and, despite the 27 consecutive months in which unemployment rose to more than 300,000, he is not indicating any dramatic change? Would he accept that yesterday's Estimates which demonstrated that of the 44 Government Departments for which money was provided only three Departments received less than his own? Would he accept that this will not confront a situation where in the past three years we have had no increase in employment here?
The Labour Party in Opposition consistently supported both the Programme for National Recovery and the Programme for Economic and Social Progress. We are proud to be a member of this Government in which we have negotiated a partnership programme which the Deputy is familiar with. It is the policy of this Government to implement that programme. I do not think that the circumstances which prevail at present should in any way deter us from implementing that programme. It is the best prospect for achieving the sort of progress that this country needs.
Would the Minister agree that under the Programme for Economic and Social Progress we had no increase in employment? Would he further agree that with a new Government elected on a platform of change, we would expect to see dramatic new initiatives to support employment which have not been outlined in his reply?
The new initiatives are contained in the Programme for Government. It is premature at this stage to demand from any side of the House that they should be put on the floor of this House in a tangible form. It is the intention of this Government to move to implement that systematically over the next four to five years.
