Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 November 2016
698. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if an assessment has been carried out to examine the implications for the cost of living for communities in rural and Border areas as a result of Brexit on the import and export of consumer goods; and the future implications for job creation in the region. [34607/16]
View answerAs Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, my focus is on improving Ireland’s competitiveness performance. Ensuring Ireland is a competitive location to establish and run a business is essential for job creation. Ireland’s competitiveness also impacts on the comparative cost of living between Ireland and other regions with which we compete, including between North and South of the Border on the island. Brexit means we must do more across a wide range of policy areas to enhance our attractiveness as a location to start and locate a business relative to the UK. The most recent data from the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business shows that Ireland is ahead of the UK in terms of ease of starting a business and paying tax but is behind the UK in the overall rankings.
Enterprise 2025, the Government’s long-term enterprise policy, is an ambitious strategy, with the objective of delivering growth over the next decade that is sustainable. The Regional Action Plans for Jobs are the key instrument by which we are seeking to deliver on the objectives of Enterprise 2025 at regional level. Implementation Groups have been established in the North East and North West Regions for their respective Action Plans and my officials have received the first reports on progress on the Action Plans and will consider with the stakeholders the next steps required.
I have also asked the Chairman of the National Competitiveness Council to review the competitiveness of Ireland versus the UK. I expect the work of the Council to be completed early in the new year.
In addition, InterTrade Ireland is actively developing a programme of information sessions and resources to support businesses through the challenging period of exchange rate volatility and I will be participating in their programme of engagements over the coming months to assess for myself the competitiveness issues for businesses and communities in the Border areas.
