asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will make a statement on the assessment he has made of the likely impact upon employment and unemployment in Ireland on completion of the Single European Market, 1992; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Single European Market.
148.
My assessment is that the completion of the Single European Market will be of benefit to employment in manufacturing in Ireland because of the achievement of improved access to Community markets which has up to now been restricted by various national trade barriers.
The achievement of growth in employment in the context of the single market is of course dependent on a range of factors including particularly the maintenance of a competitive cost environment for industry and a satisfactory state of preparedness on the part of business; I have been actively attending to these aspects. The Government and the various State agencies are implementing the policy measures set out in the Programme for National Recovery to create new employment, including measures to improve the environment for investment and to strengthen the marketing and technological resources of Irish industry. These measures are proving to be successful and the job targets in the programme are being attained.
It is the Government's intention to build, in the national plan now being prepared, on the progress already made and so to achieve the maximum economic and employment benefits for Ireland in the European market.