Fine Gael TD for Limerick, Patrick O’Donovan, has said that the Action Plan for Jobs (APJ) is working, noting that we have gone from a situation where we were shedding 1600 jobs per week to one where we are now adding 1200 new jobs per week. Deputy O’Donovan was speaking today (Thursday) after the launch of the Action Plan for Jobs 2014 and the release of CSO figures showing that 61,000 extra jobs were created last year.
“There is no doubt that the Action Plan for Jobs (APJ) is working, with the creation of 61,000 extra jobs last year. Before this Government took office, 1600 jobs were being lost each week. Now we are making steady progress adding 1200 new jobs per week. The Action Plan for Jobs is a systematic tool to rebuild our economy, based on a whole-of-Government approach. Government Departments are working together with a focus on job creation across all regions of the country. APJ 2014 ensures that Local Authorities will have an enhanced role in relation to economic and community development and Limerick City and County Council will be given the tools to deliver this role.
“The APJ 2014 has a particular focus on entrepreneurship with 31 Local Enterprise Offices being set up around the country to drive new start-ups, supported by a Centre of Excellence in Enterprise Ireland. An additional €3.5 million will be made available to support start-ups and expansions including a new Youth Entrepreneurship Fund. Local Enterprise Offices will provide grants to start-ups; business mentoring; business related training; and information on Local Government supports. This Government wants to encourage entrepreneurs and support those who take the initiative to start their own business and create local jobs.
“Another focus of the AJP 2014 is foreign direct investment, with 10,000 additional jobs to be created through recruitment of extra staff for IDA Ireland overseas and additional jobs over and above existing strategies to be created in multinational companies in Ireland within 5 years.
“Manufacturing is key to APJ 2014, and 130 indigenous companies will be supported with an initiative to improve their productivity as part of the National Step Change for Manufacturing. A transformation programme will also be delivered to 70 foreign-owned manufacturing companies in Ireland to enhance skills, delivery energy improvements and invest in new facilities and equipment. APJ 2014 is also focused on enhancing the Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) capacity of our manufacturing sector.
“Ireland’s competitiveness has improved steadily since the APJ was first launched, going from 24th in the world competitiveness rankings in 2011 to 17th in 2013. The Government will closely monitor competitiveness as our economy continues to grow, with the Cabinet Committee on Economic Recovery and Jobs to provide quarterly competitiveness reports to Government.
“A recent OECD evaluation applauds the Action Plan for Jobs, and with Ireland now showing the fastest jobs growth in the EU and the OECD, we can say for sure that the Action Plan for Jobs is working. We must push ahead with this progress to ensure that every region benefits from our jobs recovery.”