John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The entire focus of Action Plan for Jobs 2012 has been on measures to protect existing jobs and support the creation of new jobs. It addresses issues of competitiveness, access to finance, support of enterprise and sectoral strategies.

The enterprise support agencies of the Department, Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and the county enterprise boards, are all alert to the need for business to anticipate difficulties and have developed various programmes for process improvement, innovation, mentoring and capability development to assist companies in making necessary transformations. For this reason, the enterprise development agencies, Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Shannon Development operate an early warning system which has been in place for over ten years. When triggered, this mechanism brings the full capacity of the agency concerned to bear on whatever situation has arisen within the client company.

A number of new measures of particular assistance to businesses under pressure have included the introduction of the microfinance loan fund and the credit guarantee scheme, reform of wage setting mechanisms, allowing easier access to examinership to which the Minister, Deputy Bruton, alluded, reducing employers' PRSI and the introduction of a low rate of VAT for certain sectors. We have also introduced a first-time exporters division within Enterprise Ireland, which is designed to assist companies consider developing an export market.

Additionally, under Action Plan for Jobs, my Department and small business representative organisations developed a guide, entitled Managing Out of the Crisis, which sets out warning signs to encourage small businesses to ask for help and outlines services available to help them through difficulties. This guide is available on my Department's website and those of the small business organisations. Other services of the Department, such as the Labour Relations Commission, regularly assist companies in difficulty which seek to negotiate cost reductions or changes in work practises as part of restructuring.

The 2013 action plan for jobs is currently being prepared. The 2013 plan will build on the progress made last year and will set out a number of new initiatives to support job creation. It will be published by the Minister, Deputy Bruton, in the coming weeks.

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