Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister and his officials and congratulate them on the 92% success rate of the Action Plan for Jobs 2012 and the suite of measures and progress reports planned under the action plan for 2013. This cross-departmental approach is very important because too often action in one Departments hinders job creation in another. The approach is welcome.

There have been more than 250,000 job losses since 2008 in the private sector, many of them in the construction sector. While some retraining is possible many people would be best suited for construction work. We must consider infrastructure investment in terms of stimulus projects. These might be done through the European Investment Bank, as has been done in some water infrastructure projects under the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. For smaller schemes such as schools and health centres, some work has taken place and we need to see more of it in the coming year. It should also be targeted towards Irish companies rather than the larger projects that must be tendered in the European journal, where non-Irish companies can be chosen to do the work, importing their own workers instead of employing Irish people. I would also like a progress update on the common visa waiver scheme.

Commercial rates feature constantly in any discussions with the business sector. We must have progress on the valuation legislation in the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. Similarly, delays with foreshore and aquaculture licences are hindering significant potential for investment because of environmental requirements.

I welcome the sections in the plan on SMEs and the additional resources for the Credit Review Office and the monitoring of investment in stimulus from pillar banks.