Bernard J. Durkan
Question:176 Mr. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of new jobs created in each of the past 12 months to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28995/01]
Written Answers. - Job Creation.
With regard to job creation for the current year, the information requested by the Deputy is not yet available. The Forfás annual employment survey is carried out in November of each year. This survey will give details of all jobs created and lost in IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, Shannon Development and County Enterprise Boards assisted companies for the period 1 November 2000 to 31 October 2001. The preliminary figures for this survey will not be available until the end of the year.
Up to recently, the 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 2,400, 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.
Question No. 177 answered with Question No. 159.
Question No. 178 answered with Question No. 101.