Skip to main content
Normal View

Action Plan for Jobs

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 October 2013

Thursday, 17 October 2013

Questions (99)

Tom Fleming

Question:

99. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the means by which his Action Plan for Jobs is addressing youth unemployment in County Kerry; the number of jobs that have been created through this action plan in the county; the areas they have been created in; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44027/13]

View answer

Written answers

This Government is committed to addressing the problem of youth unemployment. Our primary strategy is to create the environment for economic recovery through competitiveness, enterprise and job creation through the Action Plan for Jobs. In addition, the Government recognises the need for measures to support the unemployed and keep jobseekers close to the labour market. In this context, the major elements of the Government's response are set out in Pathways to Work, which is aimed at ensuring that as many as possible of the job vacancies that are created as the economy recovers are filled by people from the Live Register - with a particular focus on those who are long-term unemployed or at risk of long-term unemployment.

Pathways to Work programmes such as JobBridge, Springboard, Momentum, JobsPlus and the ICT Action Plan, are delivered by the Departments of Social Protection and Education and Skills. The Department of Social Protection is also working with relevant Departments, including my own, to produce a concrete plan for implementation of the Youth Guarantee in Ireland, for consideration by the Government before being transmitted to the European Commission by the end of the year. My Department is also keen to support young entrepreneurs and, in this context, current initiatives such as Enterprise Ireland's Competitive Start Fund and New Frontiers Programme, along with the Microenterprise Loan Fund, all contribute to supporting young entrepreneurs.

More than 48,000 jobs will be created in 2014 through supports from my Department as a result of the measures announced in this week's Budget. Some of the specific measures announced include:

- A package of new initiatives to support start-ups and growing businesses, including Start Your Own Business Scheme – a 2-year income tax exemption for long-term unemployed people who start their own business,

- €3.5million in additional funding for CEBs/LEOs, and

- Continued provision for a total of over €2billion in non-bank credit schemes for business.

Earlier this year, I established the Entrepreneurs Forum. I am pleased that so many of the ideas that they have championed have also been addressed in the Budget. The Government will also publish a Policy Statement on Entrepreneurship, including youth entrepreneurship, this year.

In relation to the number of jobs created in Co Kerry, and the areas they have been created in, I refer the Deputy to my reply of 10 October 2013 to Dáil Question No. 93 (Reference No: 42799/13), tabled by him.

Top
Share