Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Both the Department of Finance and the ESRI have this week produced improved employment forecasts for 2013 and 2014. These improved forecasts are supported by the latest employment statistics published by the Central Statistics Office, which show that employment increased by 33,800 in the year to quarter two of 2013 net of a reduction of 5,400 in public sector numbers. This was the third consecutive quarter where an increase in employment was recorded. Increases in employment have been recorded in nine of the 14 economic sectors categorised by the CSO, including agriculture, forestry and fishing, construction, industry, wholesale and retail and accommodation and food services. Most of these sectors are targeted for attention under the Action Plan for Jobs. We have now moved from a situation where the private sector was losing over 7,000 jobs per month before this Government came to office to the current situation where it is creating over 3,000 jobs per month.

This Department does not undertake employment forecasts. However, the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs has set the objective of supporting the creation of 100,000 extra jobs in the economy over the period 2012 to 2016 through a series of annual measures aimed at improving Ireland’s competitiveness and making it easier for enterprises to do business. As part of the action plan, Forfás assessed the job potential of several sectors, including manufacturing, agrifood, ICT, tourism, business process outsourcing, international financial services, the green economy and retail and construction. There is a strong mix of both multinational companies and indigenous SMEs involved in these sectors. Enterprise Ireland has set a target of supporting 10,500 new jobs on a gross basis in 2013, while IDA Ireland aims to generate 13,000 gross new jobs this year. I am currently preparing the 2014 action plan on behalf of the Government and we will continue to build on the success of the actions we have taken over the past two years.

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