Michael Ahern (Cork East, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 and 3 together.

The total number of people recorded on the live register for January 2008 is 181,449. The live register is not designed to measure unemployment. It includes part-time, seasonal and casual workers entitled to unemployment benefit.

Unemployment is measured by the quarterly national household survey, collated and published by the Central Statistics Office. The most recent quarterly national household survey, quarter 3, 2007, indicates that employment has increased by 67,600 in the year. The unemployment rate is currently at 4.7%, down from 4.8% in the same period last year.

The predictions for the medium term are for continued employment growth, albeit at a slower pace than that experienced to date. Unemployment is forecast to average at around 5.5% over the period 2008-10.

The manufacturing sector in Ireland has evolved noticeably since 2000, in terms of the composition of industry and the nature of activities, and is likely to continue to do so. Manufacturing continues to be a significant employer accounting directly for 11% of total employment and a significant amount of associated services employment. In order to sustain and grow the sector, the Irish-based manufacturing enterprises will have to continue the progression to high value-added sectors and activities, and continue to increase productivity through investments in human capital, technology and innovation.

Many of the job losses incurred in the past number of years were in low value-added manufacturing and these losses have been more than offset by jobs created in higher value-added manufacturing and the financial and international services sectors.

The Department, in conjunction with the enterprise development agencies, has taken a number of steps in recent years to identify and address issues affecting the manufacturing sectors, particularly through implementation of the enterprise action plan arising from the enterprise strategy group report and implementation of recommendations from the small business forum.

As part of the commitments included under the partnership agreement Towards 2016, the Minister, Deputy Martin, established a high-level manufacturing group to review the challenges facing the manufacturing sector and to identify further measures to meet those challenges. This group, comprised of industry, employee, Government and enterprise agency representatives, is currently in the process of finalising a report outlining its views and recommendations to ensure that manufacturing continues to play a major role in our economy and will report back to partnership early in 2008.

For those who become unemployed, in any sector, the range of services provided by FÁS will be available. This will include active engagement with persons on the live register with the objective of helping them to obtain jobs either directly or through further training, education or work experience. It also includes access to the various training and employment programmes provided by FÁS.

FÁS is also placing particular emphasis on the training of low skilled workers in vulnerable industries. This is to ensure that in the event of becoming unemployed they will have the skills necessary to make the transition to other employment.

The development agencies, including IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and the county enterprise boards will continue to promote job creation through the delivery of programmes to assist the enterprise sector to develop, thereby creating new jobs.

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