The aim of the Action Plan for Jobs is to help enterprises to create employment in all regions of the country. Employment has increased nationally by almost 90,000 since the start of the action plan process in 2012. All regions have experienced job growth, but some regions have seen less than others. That is why the Government is placing an increased emphasis on supporting jobs growth in the regions.
It is clear that all regions have shown growth, in contrast to what Deputy Calleary has tried to say in his opening comments. In February, the Government announced details of the Action Plan for Jobs: Regional Initiative. It might sound like an airline but I can tell the Deputy that it will deliver on the ground, which is more important. It seeks to build on the existing strengths and assets of each region to maximise enterprise growth and job creation. This initiative will see action plans drawn up for eight regions at NUTS III level, supported by a package of up to €250 million in funding over the next five years.
The Western Development Commission’s report on the western region’s labour market will provide a valuable input into this work. Using data up to the first quarter of 2014, it showed growth in employment in the seven counties covered since the start of 2012 with a significant drop in unemployment. In particular it showed growth in employment in agriculture, professional, retail, hospitality, industry, construction and private services, but a decline in employment in public service, financial, ICT and transport. While overall jobs growth in these counties was lower than in the rest of the country, they had a stronger jobs experience in five sectors. The relative strength of these counties in manufacturing and weakness in ICT was observed. This is valuable input into the work of identifying areas of opportunity for these counties, which can be developed in the regional action plans for jobs.
As I have said, through the regional action plans for jobs we want to build on strengths and opportunities in the different regions, whether in existing or emerging sectors such as the creative industries or renewable energy, which are of particular interest to the western region. The Western Development Commission report points to the need for a more diversified spread of employment across sectors and that is what we are trying to achieve. Our objective is that six action plans including those for the Border, west and mid-west regions, which cover all the counties within the remit of the Western Development Commission, will be launched by the end of July.
During March and April, our Department and its agencies conducted a series of stakeholder engagements in the Border, west, and mid-west regions, which resulted in almost 700 suggestions for job creation being offered by participants. The Western Development Commission was involved in the stakeholder events. My Department is currently working through these suggestions and will soon be consulting further with stakeholders. It is quite important that 700----