Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 July 2015
12. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide an update on the Regional Action Plan for Jobs 2015 for the Border region, which includes Donegal and which is due for publication this month; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28658/15]
View answerSince the start of the national Action Plan for Jobs process in 2012, employment across the economy as a whole has increased, and has exceeded the Government's initial target of having 100,000 people at work by 2016.
However, we are conscious that not all regions are yet fully experiencing the benefits of the recovery. While the national Unemployment Rate now stands at 9.7%, some areas - including the Border region – still have an Unemployment Rate above that level. The Unemployment Rate for the Border region was 10.2% in the latest Quarterly National Household Survey published by the CSO.
To accelerate progress on the jobs agenda in the regions, last February, along with the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste, I announced details of the Action Plans for Jobs: Regional initiative which will build on the national Action Plan process and produce eight Regional Action Plans at NUTS III level.
An EI or IDA Regional Manager has been designated in each region to lead a Project Delivery Team comprising the public sector bodies in the region. The role of the Project Delivery Team is to help develop actions that can build on the strengths and opportunities of the region and to facilitate engagement with other regional stakeholders.
The Project Delivery Team for the Border region was established in March and two wider Stakeholder events were held in the region – one in Sligo on 26th March, and the second in Carrickmacross on 13th April. In total, over 250 people from the enterprise sector and the public sector attended these two events. Several hundred ideas for job creation emerged from these Stakeholder engagements. My Department, along with the Regional Project Delivery Team, has been working through the proposals to identify those with the greatest potential for inclusion in the Action Plan for Jobs for the Border region. Further follow-up engagement will be necessary with key regional stakeholders and with relevant Government Departments and agencies to finalise the actions and agree a timeline for their delivery.
The first two regional Action Plans for Jobs, covering the Midlands and the South West regions, were published in the last two weeks. My initial objective was that the Action Plan for the Border region would be published by the end of this month. However, as the Deputy is aware, the Border region has a number of unique characteristics which we are keen to ensure are properly addressed in finalising the actions in the Plan. These include the wide geographical spread of the region, the distinct and different offerings of the North West and the North East of the region, and the trading relationship with the economy in Northern Ireland.
It is important that all of these factors are reflected in the Action Pan for Jobs for the Border region. I now expect that the Plan for the Border region will be completed in September.
