I’m delighted to be here today for the Lafferty Group’s announcement to open a new office in the town which will create 40 jobs over the next 3 years.
I’d like to thank Michael Lafferty for bringing this investment to the West and wish the Lafferty Group continued success in providing educational supports to the global banking industry.
I’d also like to thank the IDA for assisting the Group in its efforts to find a suitable location for this office.
I’m sure you’re aware Michael that Westport was recently voted the best place to live in Ireland so you’ve made an excellent choice in locating here!
In addition, we have the talented, skilled and loyal workforce to ensure that your office here will be run efficiently and effectively. I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever that this will be the case.
Indeed, despite the challenging times that we are facing, despite the difficulties that our neighbours and trading partners are facing, it is heartening to see that foreign direct investment continues to come to our shores.
Ireland has come through a severe crisis and although we are not out of the woods yet, we have nonetheless made significant steps towards the clearing and investments like this one here today are part of that journey.
Looking at how far we have come, we only have to reflect on our commitments under the Troika agreement which we have fulfilled time and time again, in every one of our 7 reviews. We recently managed to re-enter the bond markets, albeit tentatively but with over €5billion secured, it was a very positive start.
While there is clear evidence that we are “getting there”, there are however very real and significant challenges which we still face, particularly in regard to jobs.
My Government has been working constantly, at home and in Europe, to progress more pro-growth policies and to devise innovative investment plans.
More particularly, on the home front, my Government through its Action Plan for Jobs is taking a systematic approach in order to protect jobs and to provide incentives to employers to create jobs.
Last month we published the second quarterly progress report for the Action Plan on Jobs, with commitments for Quarter 2 over 93% complete. It will be some time before these results translate into jobs but creating the right business environment is essential to arriving at that point and we are putting all our efforts into ensuring this happens.
My intention is to make Ireland the best small country in which to do business by 2016 so that companies, big and small, indigenous and foreign, will choose Ireland as a location and thereby avail of the capacity and creativity that is here to be harnessed.