Bernard Durkan
Question:83. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his job creation targets over the next five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2520/16]
View answerWednesday, 20 January 2016
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Enterprise 2025 is our 10 year jobs and enterprise strategy, which sets out the roadmap to build a sustainable economy and have 2.18 million people at work by 2020, which means 200,000 net additional jobs by 2020; this would mean more people at work than at any time in the history of the State. Earlier this week we launched the fifth Action Plan for Jobs. A key objective of the Action Plan for Jobs process has been to rebuild our economy based on enterprise and entrepreneurship, talent, innovation and exports and provide a solid foundation for future growth. Irish industry has to been to the forefront of the economic recovery, with our enterprises and entrepreneurs innovating, developing and improving their products and services to meet the needs of customers in markets across the globe.
The 2016 Plan is the first in a new phase of the Action Plan for Jobs process, after the original target of 100,000 extra jobs by 2016 was achieved last year, 21 months ahead of schedule. Since the first Action Plan for Jobs was launched in Q1 2012, 135,800 more people are at work. The unemployment rate has fallen below nine per cent for the first time since 2008, down from a high of 15.1 per cent in early 2012 to 8.8 per cent in December 2015.
The 2016 Action Plan marks the transition to the implementation of key Government policies that plan for medium term growth. Our target is to support the creation of an additional 50,000 new jobs in 2016, which would bring the number of people at work to over two million by the end of 2016. The 2016 Action Plan for Jobs outlines 304 actions which will be implemented this year by 16 Departments and over 60 agencies, continuing the cross-Government approach to the top priority area of job creation.
As in previous years the Plan contains five Disruptive Reforms – these include making all Government transactions with business available online from next year, doubling the intellectual property outputs from Irish firms and additional measures to support regional growth, supported by €530 million in funding. We will also progress a suite of actions to deliver the skills needs of our growing economy; drive export-led growth; increase innovation; maintain and improve our competitiveness; increase entrepreneurial activity; ensure appropriate access to finance; and stimulate the domestic economy.
The Action Plan for Jobs complements the Government’s Pathways to Work which sets out actions to be taken in support of those that are currently unemployed to help them access the labour market and new job opportunities. Last week, the Tánaiste, and Minister for Social Protection, published the new Pathways to Work Strategy for the period to 2020. Our Departments will continue to build on the progress to date through the Action Plan for Jobs and Pathways to Work to ensure that more employment opportunities are available to those who are seeking work.
A strong economy with full employment that supports vibrant public services for our people is within our grasp if we make the right choices. The primary objective of the actions to be delivered in 2016 is to secure the gains already made and deliver on our target to have 200,000 net additional jobs by 2020, but, crucially, sustaining it for a generation.