Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 July 2015
299. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the way his Department has attempted to increase job creation through the Action Plan for Jobs; the number of jobs expected to be created in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30305/15]
View answerThe goal of this Government has been to replace all of the jobs lost during the economic crisis and deliver sustainable full employment by the end of 2018. This whole of Government effort has been integrated into the Action Plan for Jobs process which aims to strengthen the enterprise base, support entrepreneurship and start-ups, regain Ireland’s lost competitiveness and ensure the potential of the regions for development and job creation through Action Plan for Jobs – Regional is fully realised, supported by competitive regional funds.
The Action Plan for Jobs complements the Government’s Pathways to Work which set outs actions to be taken in support of those who are currently unemployed in order to help them access the labour market and new job opportunities.
Action Plan for Jobs 2015, the fourth such Plan, was launched in January 2015 and as well as building on reforms in previous years introduces new areas of focus such as: the National Talent Drive which aims to improve the employability of all and ensure that work always pays; and new sources of employment growth such as Energy Innovation, Intellectual Property and Design.
The Action Plan for Jobs process is working. Over 104,000 more people are at work since the first plan was launched at the start of 2012 and unemployment has fallen to 9.7% in June 2015. Action Plan for Jobs 2015 commits to 40,000 additional jobs this year. IDA and Enterprise Ireland have specific targets for 27,000 new jobs in 2015.
To achieve our ambition of sustainable full employment, the 2015 Action Plan for Jobs sets out a comprehensive range of measures to support entrepreneurship, SMEs and the self-employed in the areas of education and research, business environment and supports, innovation and access to finance, networks and mentoring, and access to markets. Our key priority is driving implementation of the actions in the National Entrepreneurship Statement, which was published in October last year and to achieve the ambitions targets set out for a 25 per cent increase in the number of start-ups and in the scaling and sustainability of new enterprises.
The launch of the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) was a major reform delivered in 2014 and in 2015 the LEOs will have ambitious and robust county strategies and targets for start-ups, enterprise engagements and supports to be effective first-stop-shops for enterprise information. Enterprise Ireland’s support system for young companies includes help with business planning, mentoring and development advice, feasibility funding and finance, often in the form of equity investment, as appropriate to the founder’s ambitions and the company’s potential and stage of growth. My Department through its agencies will build on the 2014 success of the awards programmes such as Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur with a renewed programme for 2015.
The launch of the simplified Startup Refunds for Entrepreneurs Scheme (SURE) in 2015 will provide additional finance for entrepreneurs. In many cases the lack of a first reference sale is a key barrier to accessing funding at an early stage. Early intervention through entrepreneur development programmes such as New Frontiers and other programmes help companies accelerate their business development. EI will support 130 new Entrepreneurs via the New Frontiers programme in 2015.
Improving our competitiveness remains a key focus of my Department and Government. The National Competitiveness Council’s Costs of Doing Business in Ireland 2015 report shows that Ireland’s cost base has improved across a range of metrics over the last five years, and driven by reforms set out in the Action Plan for Jobs, Ireland’s competitiveness position has improved in recent years. As noted in the Government’s Spring Economic Statement, this improvement in competitiveness has facilitated a reallocation of resources towards the tradeable sectors of the economy. To sustain employment growth, there is a role for both the public and private sectors alike to proactively manage their cost base and drive efficiency, thus creating a virtuous circle between the costs of living, wage expectations and cost competitiveness.
