Bernard J. Durkan
Question:94 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the net number of jobs lost or created in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23696/04]
View answerThursday, 7 October 2004
Questions (95)
Written answers
The Forfás annual employment survey monitors employment trends among clients of the principle enterprise development agencies. As the survey is undertaken towards the end of the year, data for 2004 will not be available until December or early January.
The 2003 survey indicates that employment levels in agency-supported companies stood at 297,549. While 22,769 new jobs were created in agency-supported companies, job losses of 30,119 resulted in a net decrease of 7,350 on 2002. While there were 19,014 less jobs in manufacturing and internationally traded services compared with the peak of 316,563 in 2000, employment in agency clients is still one third higher than it was a decade ago when it stood at 224,343.
In the past few years, conditions in the global economy have not been easy for companies doing business overseas. Firms operating here and with an international focus have had to win business against a backdrop of sluggish external demand, pricing pressures, and an increasingly competitive international environment. All these factors contributed to employment reduction in the agency supported sector.
In the broader economy, however, pro-enterprise policies are encouraging employment growth. The latest quarterly national household survey, quarter 2, 2004, shows that the total at work rose by 42,800 to more than 1.836 million in the year. Continuing strong job creation is a unique feature of our economy compared with other EU economies. In line with strong job gains, unemployment has remained remarkably low at around 4.4% — among the lowest rates in the EU. Job opportunities in the labour market are still varied and there is no sign that job seekers are finding it difficult to either find employment or change jobs. Furthermore, long-term unemployment has continued to decline. The latest rate of 1.4% is just above its lowest rate in 15 years.
Ireland is now a high reward, modern and successful economy as a result of the enterprise development policies implemented over the past ten years. These have provided entrepreneurial incentives and driven investment and employment across the economy. Because our economy is so open to world trade flows we will benefit from a better pace of global growth that now seems to be taking place. This I expect will further sustain both economic growth and job creation.
Question No. 95 answered with QuestionNo. 91.