Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

Job creation is at the top of the Government's agenda. Since we came into office, we have been working hard to create the improved economic conditions which will support the maintenance of existing jobs and the creation of new ones. Our objective is to put the country back on the road to economic recovery and full employment. However, we are also realistic about the scale of the task that lies ahead. The number of people on the live register is the legacy of failed policies and a measure of the challenge that faces us.

Creating a robust economy, capable of capturing new opportunities and sustaining jobs, requires a medium to long-term vision. I have said many times before that Governments do not create jobs, entrepreneurs do. It is true that with major capital investment Government can stimulate economic activity and create jobs in the design and construction phase of individual projects. Sustainable employment growth, however, requires a dependable, indigenous engine for growth and jobs. That can only be built on a foundation of competitive costs, a supportive environment for business, opening up new export markets and embracing innovation.

In the recent capital budget, an allocation of €2.3 billion is being provided to my Department's Vote between 2012 and 2016. This means that funding for my Department's enterprise development agencies will be protected or enhanced over the medium term. A number of new initiatives will also be funded, including a partial loan guarantee scheme and Innovation Fund Ireland. As a consequence, I expect the enterprise development agencies to deliver on their ambitious jobs targets of more than 110,000 gross new jobs over the five years of the programme to 2016. This represents an average of 22,000 new jobs per annum. Every new job is estimated to have a multiplier effect, so the overall impact on job creation of these activities is estimated at 220,000 gross new direct and indirect jobs. However, the Government has ambitions to go beyond these targets.

In this context, I am currently preparing a jobs strategy for the Government which will set out a series of clear, actionable measures to support the creation and retention of jobs. The strategy will focus on a number of areas.

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These areas include: improving competitiveness and intensifying competition in sheltered sectors; assisting indigenous business to grow; supporting indigenous start-ups; attracting inward entrepreneurial start ups; developing and deepening the impact of foreign direct investment; exploiting opportunities in new and emerging sectors; and supporting employment initiatives within the community.

The actions contained in this jobs strategy will assist all enterprises across all sectors to protect and create jobs. We will be taking a "whole of Government" approach to making this happen. Some of the actions in the jobs strategy will be delivered in the short term and will have an immediate impact, while others will be delivered over a longer timeframe. The objective is to publish the strategy early in the new year.

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