The Statement of Government Priorities 2014-2016 recognises the central role of my Department in delivering on the overall priorities for the remainder of the Government’s term of office, towards sustaining and deepening Ireland’s economic recovery.
The continued delivery and implementation of the Action Plan for Jobs (APJ) will be central to the economic recovery. The APJ is working towards the creation of 100,000 jobs by 2016 (as compared to 2012), which will make a significant contribution to Government’s aim of returning Ireland to full employment (2.1 million people) by 2020. This will be achieved by focussing on Government’s priority of strengthening the domestic economy, and prioritising new jobs for the unemployed.
In recognition of the vital importance of jobs to every aspect of the economic recovery, my Department will prioritise its role in delivering policies that support jobs in every county, town and village, with a particular focus on sectors, for example retail, that support balanced regional development. Central to this will be realising the full potential of the new network of 31 Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs), which are based in every local authority area, and which will support entrepreneurship and small business activity throughout the country.
Indeed, reinforcing the importance of entrepreneurship in this context, my Department will publish a new Entrepreneurship Policy aimed at achieving a 25% increase in start-ups over the next five years, and to deliver a doubling of the jobs impact of start-ups over five years.
To enable new and existing businesses to operate more efficiently, my Department will continue to lead on cutting down on the amount of red-tape, for example through the introduction of the new Integrated Licensing Application system.
In conjunction with creating more jobs and reducing unemployment, I will also prioritise the delivery of better working standards. My Department will lead the work of the Low Pay Commission, to make appropriate recommendations regarding the appropriate level of the minimum wage and related matters, and will prioritise the enactment of the Collective Bargaining legislation that has already been approved by Government.
I will also ensure completion of the programme of reform and modernisation of the Workplace Relations Bodies, including the enactment of the Workplace Relations Bill, to deliver, for employees and employers, streamlined advisory, conciliation, adjudication, inspection and enforcement mechanisms through the new two-tier structure of the Workplace Relations Commission and the Labour Court.
I will continue to prioritise the successful work by the enterprise agencies under my Department in the context of the continued delivery of investment, export, and jobs targets. Further, I will maintain our focus on important science, research and innovation issues, for example by working to maximise Ireland’s drawdown of EU Research funding (including €1.25bn targeted under Horizon 2020) and building on the industry-relevant science base to ensure economic and jobs dividends from that investment through FDI, industry collaboration and direct commercial outputs.
In addition, I will ensure that Ireland continues to derive the maximum benefits from the negotiation of, and our participation in, international trade agreements, and from trade missions led by my Department and the enterprise agencies. I will also work to ensure that the development of EU policies on employment and growth most appropriately reflect Ireland’s interests.
