Publication of the First Quarterly Progress Report on the 2014 Action Plan for Jobs
Remarks by the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Eamon Gilmore TD
Dublin, Thursday, 22 May
Ladies and Gentlemen
Welcome to this update on the progress we are making in implementing the Action Plan for jobs.
Three years ago, when this Government was elected, the Irish economy was in freefall.
During the worst of the crisis there were 1,600 jobs a week being lost. Now 1,200 jobs a week are being created. Unemployment peaked at 15% - it is now down to 11.7% and has fallen for the last 22 months in a row. There are more than 70,000 more people at work today, than this time three years ago.
Today, we are starting to see new problems emerging that are the consequences of that success, including rising property prices. But even as we shift our focus to those issues, we have keep our eye on the key priority – job creation. That is why 2014 has been designated the Year of Jobs.
Implementing the Action Plan for Jobs has been at the core of our efforts to foster job creation. Working across all Government departments and agencies we have taken concerted action to create the right environment for growth and jobs. Through Pathways to Work we have put in place the supports and guidance to ensure that those who have become unemployed have a clear route back to employment.
In Q1, 94 percent of actions due under the 2014 Action Plan for Jobs have been completed – this is a reflection of the high priority that we have afforded to the implementation of this strategy.
Today, we are also announcing that the Government has agreed to establish the Irish Strategic Banking Corporation. This is an initiative that was first proposed by the Labour Party in opposition, because we could see the potential for it to be an important driver of economic growth and job creation. This announcement, together with the publication of the legislation on the Strategic Investment Fund, marks the delivery of another important commitment in the Programme for Government. It is another example of the kind of reforms that we have to make, to steer the Irish economy towards a sustainable, export-led growth model that generates more and better jobs.
As the Taoiseach has said, the Strategic Investment Bank will channel funds to SMEs at better rates. It will act as a complement to the Strategic Investment Fund which will continue to provide start-up capital to innovative companies, and to invest in infrastructure and industries that are of strategic importance to Ireland. We expect that the Strategic Banking Corporation will have at least €500m to lend starting this year.
This is just one of a series of actions that we have taken to drive the jobs agenda. Others include:
· 31 Local Enterprise Offices are now in place around the country – providing a first stop shop for enterprise support for local start-ups and small businesses and merging the expertise and capacity of the 35 City and County Enterprise Boards with the business development services of the Local Authorities. LEOs have a key role to play in fostering regional economic growth, and ensuring that the gains of the recovery are felt in villages, suburbs and towns around the country. From micro-businesses to the next Irish multinational, we want to support those who are creating jobs.
· Just last week this Government published a new strategy for the construction sector which is designed to triple housing output by 2020, and in doing so to create 60,000 jobs in the construction sector.
I am also particularly pleased to note the progress that we have made on the Pathways to Work initiative. The Pathways progress report published recently shows we are on track to beat the target of helping 75,000 long-term unemployed people back into work by the end of 2015. More than 46,000 long-term unemployed people have returned to work since this Strategy was introduced in 2012.
In addition, 44 Intreo Centres are now open nationwide offering a “one-stop shop” where jobseekers can get income supports and employment supports in the one place for the first time.
The building blocks are now in place for the creation of a better post-crisis Ireland.
We will continue to drive the implementation of the Action Plan for Jobs and the other key strategies that will create the best environment for job creation and provide good quality employment opportunities for all of our people.