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Introduction
Thank you all for coming today to ICON.
It’s an impressive space an equally impressive story
A story for the times.
Because since it started in 1990, ICON has epitomised Ireland’s ability to find and play to its strengths.
Today, 22 years on, ICON is a global leader in clinical research, employing more than 8,500 people in 40 countries.
These are real jobs high-end jobs... with the even greater add-on of making a real difference to people’s lives.
If ICON can do this so can Ireland.
If our people are to have jobs, to know the dignity of work, we must. And we will.
Today, with the Action Plan on Jobs, Ireland takes its first steps to that successful, working destination.
How?
By targeting key sectors where we can - realistically and certainly
Produce more world-class companies
Attract new investment
That will create more jobs.
I call these companies the Old Reliables and the New Reliables.
The Old Reliables of agri-food, tourism and manufacturing where we can help create jobs where they’re needed most.
The New Reliables of emerging areas like Cloud Computing, ICT and life sciences.
These are the key areas.
The key areas to show the world that Ireland is a cutting-edge, innovative and intuitive economy.
The key areas that are Ireland’s master key to jobs, to work and a new and better Irish prosperity.
A prosperity, that this time, will include a prosperity of mind, heart and spirit.
Stability & Confidence
Almost a year ago now when we formed this government we looked at the scale and the depth and the height of the challenges facing us and as we looked around the Cabinet table the same thought did the rounds
That great Irish advice
"I wouldn’t start from here"
But we had to.
And from there, we did the hardest thing of all: we made a start.
In the year since, we’ve made real progress.
We restructured the banks, ahead of schedule.
We recapitalised them following the most rigorous stress tests in Europe.
And we’ve drawn a line under the banking crisis, overseeing new, private, investment into Bank of Ireland. And, for the first time, new inflows of deposit funds, both retail and corporate.
The lower interest-rate we won on the Programme Loans will save us around 10 billion euro over the life of those loans.
Every euro we save on interest payments is a euro we can put into jobs, classrooms, hospitals.
All of this success, helped us achieve another critical aim: to restore Ireland’s reputation and standing around the world.
Since taking office, the government has gone on a diplomatic charm offensive, not only in Europe where a lot of neglected relationships needed attention but in the US.
Last Thursday ,in New York, I met with President Clinton and a group of US investors to tell them about the great future that’s ahead for Ireland and the Irish, about all we have to offer.
President Clinton told investors they’d be "nuts" not to invest in Ireland.
Obviously, we agree.
This vital work this hard but emerging work to go out there and work like this and champion your country all of this is bit by bit giving Ireland back its standing and more importantly its belief.
This is vital if we are to attract new investment into Ireland and to give Irish business the best possible chance to grow and expand.
A chance it so deeply needs and so richly deserves.
Jobs as a Priority
The number one goal of the government is to get Ireland working again.
This is the ultimate priority.
My heart goes out to people who have lost a job and are doing everything humanly possible to find another. And to their families.
Because a job is not only about money in the pocket.
A job can transform a life. It can restore missing self respect and dignity. It can provide hope and direction to so many young people looking to make their mark.
It’s about people’s innate desire to work for their living, to look after their families, contribute to their country.
And because of this, within 100 Days in office, in the worst economic circumstances inherited by any government, we actioned our Jobs Initiative.
And it worked in the target areas: tourist numbers are up, entertainment and food businesses are recovering, we’ve placed 4,500 interns through the Job Bridge programme.
No government in these circumstances can directly create jobs. But good government removes the barriers to job creation by entrepreneurs and industry.
That’s why in Budget 2012, we didn’t increase taxes on work.
That’s why we will always push for the kinds of change that make it worthwhile to go to work.
That’s why we will do all we can to encourage people into, or back into, the workforce as new opportunities arrive.
Action Plan on Jobs
In March 2011, we set out our plans to rebuild our banking systems' capacity to support jobs by extending credit into the economy.
In November 2011, we set out our budget plans to reduce interest rates for the State, banks and enterprises by cutting the government deficit and downsizing the public sector.
Today, we set out the Action Plan on Jobs – the third major strand of our economic plan to get Ireland working encompassing the wider economic reforms needed to accelerate jobs growth.
Through this action plan, we will target different sectors with new supports.
We will radically improve the way the government and business interact by cutting both costs and red tape.
We will promote new access to credit for small business. A Loan Guarantee Scheme and a €100million Micro-Finance Loan Scheme will also go live shortly. In addition, the Government’s Economic Management Council will be meeting the banks shortly to ensure that commitments to deliver new lending to viable small businesses are met.
The title of today’s plan says it all. Action.
This action plan will be actioned.And I will oversee its implementation.
The Taoiseach’s department will be working closely with other Departments to make absolutely sure the necessary change is made, results are achieved, jobs grown. There will be constant monitoring of progress with quarterly reports.
In exports alone, there is work to do.
By attracting investment, we can grow our businesses both here at home and for the world market.
The more contracts Irish companies win in the global market, the more jobs they win for people at home.
Jobs are central to Ireland’s economic recovery.
We must create and grow and win these jobs one by one.
I know how hard it is for our men and women who are out of work.
How hard it is for their children for their families.
But I want them to know that this government their government...is working day and night to get them the jobs they deserve and so desperately need.
I wish, as they do, we could have full-employment tomorrow.
It’s just not possible.
In the Dail on the first day of this administration I promised that this ‘Government will work as hard as the people’. Today I add that this Government will work hard
for the people, until everyone has the opportunity to work, to contribute, to live their lives.
And when it does Ireland will be the ‘icon’.
The best small country in the world in which to do business, by our centenary year 1916.
Government Press Office,
Press.office@taoiseach.gov.ie, ph: 01 6194098