merrion street

Minister Bruton, Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore

249 out of the 270 measures committed to be implemented in 2012 by all 15 Government Departments and 36 Agencies under the Action Plan for Jobs have been delivered, the Taoiseach, Tanaiste and Minister for Jobs announced today.

They were speaking as they published the fourth and final quarterly progress report under Action Plan for Jobs 2012. Action Plan for Jobs 2013 will be published in the coming weeks.

As well as reporting on delivery of measures under the Action Plan, Minister Bruton also outlined signs of progress in the labour market, which include:

• Net growth of almost 12,000 in private sector employment in the past year. In the three years to March 2011 a net 250,000 jobs were lost in the private sector
• Net growth of more than 15,000 in the exporting sectors since the start of 2011. In the three years 2008-2010 a net 45,000 jobs were lost in these sectors

In February 2012 the Government published Action Plan for Jobs 2012, outlining the 270 new measures that would be implemented across Government during 2012 to drive employment creation. This was the first in an annual series of plans aimed at supporting a net increase in employment of 100,000 by 2016.

In a new departure for Government, underlining the priority assigned to job-creation, a monitoring committee was established led jointly by the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Jobs which committed to providing quarterly reports on the implementation by each Department and Agency of the measures committed for each quarter.

Among the measures delivered in 2012 are:

• €90million microfinance scheme to benefit 5500 businesses, create 7700 jobs
• €450million credit guarantee scheme to benefit 5600 businesses, create 4000 jobs
• €225million development capital scheme targeting investments of €2-€5million in mid-sized companies
• New Potential Exporters Division established in Enterprise Ireland
• Measures to turn good ideas emerging from State-backed scientific research into more good jobs, including Research Prioritisation, a “one-stop shop” for commercialising ideas and new technology research centres
• Launch of the National Broadband Plan
• Allocation of €20 million to a new Education and Training Fund targeting the Long Term Unemployed
• Implementation of a series of pro-jobs tax measures
• Industry-led manufacturing body to drive creation of 20,000 new jobs
• Health Innovation Hub to drive collaboration between the health system and industry
• A cross-Government Statement on the Green Economy with the potential to create 10,000 jobs

Speaking at today’s announcement, the Taoiseach said:

Getting Ireland working again is the top priority for the Government. The Action Plan for Jobs 2012 supported the transition from the old, failed economy based on property, banking and debt to a new, sustainable economy based on exports, innovation and enterprise. While there is still much to do we are on the right track to recovery with private sector job creation increasing once again.

The Tanaiste said:

I welcome the high implementation rate on commitments under our Action Plan for Jobs 2012. The Action Plan has put in place a clear framework to support and grow indigenous business and build on our success in attracting Foreign Direct Investment. We must continue to concentrate our efforts on creating the best environment for job creation and equipping those who have lost their jobs to return to employment. It remains our top priority.

Jobs Minister Richard Bruton said:

Almost a year ago the Government outlined the first instalment in our plan to rebuild the economy and create the jobs we need. As we said at that time, there will be no ‘big bang’ solution to the employment crisis, what is needed is determined action across Government to implement the hundreds of reforms necessary to drive the transition to a new economy which can support the sustainable jobs we need. We outlined the 270 actions which we would implement in 2012 to start that process, and promised that we would be held to account in public on a quarterly basis on our record in delivering those actions.