Denis Naughten
Question:141 Mr. Naughten asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if her Department has revised its targets for job creation. [21863/01]
Written Answers. - Job Creation.
The employment performance of the Irish economy was exceptionally buoyant in 2000. Firms supported by IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland created over 33,000 permanent full-time jobs, with a net increase in employment of almost 22,000. In addition, firms supported by the county enterprise boards created a further 3,355 jobs.
Up to recently, both agencies remained optimistic about this year's performance, forecasting 21,000 new jobs and a net employment increase of 11,000. However, we are all aware of the unforeseen factors which have arisen, namely foot and mouth, the escalation of difficulties in the IT industry and most recently the tragic events in the US. These factors have combined to significantly moderate the agencies' expectations for the current year. While Forfás expects overall job creation to remain strong at about 19,500, the net employment increase has been revised significantly downwards to 3,400, the bulk of this adjustment being due to increased job losses in foreign owned firms particularly those based in the US.
While any deterioration in these figures is disappointing, the fundamentals of our economy remain strong. I am confident that we can withstand the present downturn and remain an attractive location for both foreign direct investment and indigenous firms. To this end, the Government is continuing to focus on enhancing the country's skills base, improving our infrastructure network, shaping the regulatory environment, and encouraging companies to move up the value chain.