Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 February 2016
202. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding employment opportunities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4150/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraEnterprise 2025 sets out the potential to reach 2.180 million in employment and an overall unemployment rate of 6 percent by 2020. Based on a 2014 baseline, Enterprise 2025 envisages an additional 266,000 people in employment by 2020. This is based on the premise of export led growth and the additional indirect jobs stimulated by the activities of exporting enterprises in the wider economy.
Enterprise 2025 sets out a range of sectors where there is potential for employment growth, including in green technologies and renewable energy. Specifically, the Government is committed to taking policy actions to achieve our EU commitments and to leverage our natural resources by 2030. Enterprise 2025 sets out actions to grow jobs by building on our many advantages and enhancing our reputation internationally as a sustainable and green economy: through enhancing our RD&I capabilities and stimulating start-ups and growth in green/clean technology enterprises; through stimulating increased focus by enterprises on investing in improving energy efficiencies and minimising waste; ensuring mechanisms to realise the potential from investment in energy sourced from renewables are efficient and effective; and, progressing smart city-region initiatives that leverages ICT capabilities, as set out in the recent Dublin Action Plan for Jobs.
The energy sector is set for a period of revolution and rapid growth as industry and society moves towards a low carbon economy. This drive for a low carbon economy poses a series of challenges for industry and society but also provides many economic and social opportunities. We are adopting a cluster approach to the development and deployment of energy products and services to assist in the transition to a low carbon economy and to grow export and investment opportunities. The development of Ireland as Europe’s Energy Innovation Hub was a Disruptive Reform in the 2014 Action Plan for Jobs and seeks to build on our existing strengths and transformation in energy markets internationally, so that Ireland leads in the development of innovative products and services along the energy value chain and enables the transition to a low carbon economy. To deliver on this ambition, an Inter-Departmental Committee, co-chaired by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources was established in 2015 and has developed a value proposition for Ireland as Europe’s Energy Innovation Hub and a corresponding brochure. Underpinning this is the creation of a one-stop portal of national assets and infrastructure, energy related enterprises and innovators and research activities. The portal on Ocean Energy and Smart Grid are now complete with the focus now shifting to energy efficiency and renewable technologies.
The Government has also published our new Energy White Paper, Ireland’s Transition to a Low Carbon Energy Future, in December 2015, which sets out a framework to guide policy to deliver a low carbon future between now and 2030. Improving energy efficiency is a critical element of the transition. During 2016, we will continue to deliver a range of actions under the National Energy Efficiency Action Plan to enable us to meet our 2020 targets.
In addition, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland will work with enterprise, the development agencies and the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to realise the potential for enterprise and jobs growth identified in its report Ireland’s Sustainable Energy Supply Chain Opportunity, by addressing barriers to supply chain growth in the sector, fostering growth by developing local capacity to capture export opportunities, assisting a favourable environment for FDI and to harness the job creation potential of the energy sector towards our target of sustainable full employment.
