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8 Highlights of Action Plan for Jobs 2016

APJ16_filmstripTaoiseach, Tánaiste, Ministers Bruton, Nash & English at KerryGroup in Naas, Kildare at launch of Action Plan for Jobs 2016

This week the Government launched Action Plan for Jobs 2016, the fifth in the annual series of jobs plans. The action plan is aimed at building a new, sustainable economy based on three pillars of enterprise, exports and innovation.

Action Plan for Jobs 2016 aims to help businesses grow and create 50,000 new jobs right across the country next year, including creating 13,000 new jobs in Enterprise Ireland companies and 16,000 new jobs in IDA companies. 

Along with the projections for 2016, the government targets creating 200,000 extra jobs by 2020.

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It was fitting that the launch took place in Kerry Group Global Technology and Innovation Centre, Naas, Co. Kildare. This facility, which was built with the aid of Government support back in 2012, now employs over 800 staff in skilled roles.

With 304 actions this year from 16 Departments and over 60 Government Agencies, this is a genuine cross-Government approach to the top priority area of job-creation.

Don't have time to read through all 125 pages of this year's report? Not to worry, we've distilled it into eight headline actions to keep an eye out for in 2016.

Continued focus on regional

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Following the successful rollout of the Regional Jobs plans, further actions to support regional jobs growth are planned and will be supported by €530million in funding.

Skills

A step-up in skills supply is planned, including a single Government web portal to highlight job opportunities to returning emigrants and a new National Skills Strategy.

Start-ups

A series of measures to double the jobs impact from start-ups, including support for 185 high-potential and early-stage start-ups and 4000 jobs from the Local Enterprise Offices in 2016.

Innovation

€150million in new funding for Research & Development from Horizon 2020, and €600million in Research & Development investment annually from multinational companies.

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Clustering

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A National Clustering Initiative will be created – while clustering is an important strength of the Irish economy, particularly at regional level, research suggests that this can be significantly strengthened with specific initiatives;

Development Programmes

Mentoring and management development programmes for 1300 Irish companies will be rolled out in 2016;

Agri-food supports

Will include the establishment of a Consumer Insights Centre by Bord Bia; the launch of the Meat Technology Centre; and an array of new supports under the Seafood Development Programme;

Cutting red tape

All Government transactions with business will be available online by 2017, a move which will affect 370 Government transactions with 185,000 businesses across the country.

Useful Stats about Action Plan for Jobs

    • 5th annual plan in this multi-year process
    • 304 actions in this year's plan
    • 16 Government Departments and over 60 State Agencies in this year's plan
    • 5 new disruptive reforms. Find out what a disruptive reform is here.
    • More than 1,400 actions have been implemented by the Action Plan for Jobs process, started in 2012

For more information

Read the full Action Plan for Jobs 2016 document