Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 January 2013
394. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the 2012 targets set for his Department for implementation of the Jobs Action Plan; if he will report on the attainment or otherwise of these targets; the reason targets were not met; the steps he is taking within his Department to create new jobs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1285/13]
View answerThe Action Plan for Jobs contains over 270 individual actions to be delivered in 2012, spanning all Government Departments and 36 State agencies. The 270 actions are further broken down into Quarterly milestones. My Department and the Enterprise Development Agencies under my remit are responsible for the delivery of approximately 2/3 of the individual milestones. Progress Reports on the delivery of all of the milestones are published at the end of each Quarter. Details of all actions delivered to the end of the third Quarter of the year are available in these Progress Reports on my Department’s website www.enterprise.gov.ie.
The third Progress Report on the Action Plan for Jobs was published on 17th October 2012. It indicated that 218 (96%) of the 227 milestones to be achieved in the first three Quarters of 2012 have been delivered to date, with nine actions outstanding. Three of these directly involve my Department. They relate to legislative measures covering:
- the extension of SFI’s remit to allow the agency to fund applied research,
- the proposed new structure for the employment rights institutions, and
- the publication of the Consolidated Companies Bill.
These pieces of legislation have been delayed for a number of reasons, including the detailed and complex nature of the legislation in question, the demand on resources in the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel, and the availability of time for legislative business in the Houses of the Oireachtas. I have, however, published the Consolidated Companies Bill on 21st December last, and every effort is being made to ensure that the remaining legislation is progressed as quickly as possible.
The fourth Progress Report on the Action Plan for Jobs 2012 is due to be published shortly.
Some significant objectives have been realised, including the establishment of a Microfinance Fund for small business, the introduction of a Partial Credit Guarantee scheme, new supports for first time exporters, the launch of a new Women-In-Business programme, the simplification and extension of the Employer’s PRSI Exemption scheme, the launch of a National Broadband Plan, the piloting of a Health Innovation Hub, and work being undertaken to develop sectors such as Cloud Computing, Digital Games, Manufacturing, and the Green Economy.
In spite of a very difficult domestic and external economic environment, we are beginning to see the positive impact of the Government’s policies. 2012 saw significant net job creation by EI and IDA-supported companies, building on the positive results of 2011 and following successive years of significant net job losses.
The full impact of the measures being taken under the Action Plan for Jobs will become apparent over time, but we are already seeing encouraging progress. I am currently coordinating the preparation of the 2013 Action Plan for Jobs on behalf of the Government. The 2013 Plan will build on the progress made last year and will set out a number of new initiatives to support job creation. The 2013 Action Plan will be published in the coming weeks.
