Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am pleased to contribute to this discussion on the Government's priorities for the year ahead. Nothing is more important for Ireland at this time than maintaining our plan for jobs and growth. As far as I am concerned as Chairman of the Joint Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, the main priority is the first of those words, "jobs". When the Government took office in 2011, the jobs outlook was so bad that the live register was heading for 500,000. When the Taoiseach launched the 2014 Action Plan for Jobs two weeks ago, the CSO announced that just over 250,000 people remained unemployed. While that remains far too high, we have come a long way in three years. The unemployment rate has fallen for 19 consecutive months from 15.1% in February 2012 to 11.9% in February 2014.

Last October, we debated whether we needed a precautionary line of credit in order to safely exit the bailout. The proof that the correct course of action was adopted came in yesterday's NTMA bond auction. In the first bond auction since September 2010, the NTMA raised more than €1 billion on the international bond market at an historically low rate of 2.967% for our ten year benchmark bond. This is the lowest rate at which the State has borrowed funds and it highlights the significant progress made over the last number of years. Ireland is on the up again. People have made great sacrifices and endured much to make this happen. However, many have not yet enjoyed any upswing from the economic recovery. Far too many individuals and families remain battered by unemployment. They have yet to see recovery in their own lives. When we discuss Government priorities, we always come back to the primary challenge we face, which is jobs, jobs and jobs again. We cannot be found wanting in rising to the challenge.

Exiting the bailout was not an end in itself but was only the end of the beginning. Just as it had a plan to exit the bailout, the Government has a clear plan for jobs and growth. The strategy is based on three pillars - responsible management of the public finances, banking reform and job creation in the domestic economy via Irish entrepreneurs, tourism, rural enterprise, retail and the renewed construction market. This year will, rightly, see a renewed focus on the domestic economy. My committee, which is a cross-party committee, will focus on the retail sector and the rebuilding of many town centres nationally which have suffered greatly over the last number of years. We must ensure that economic recovery reaches every part of the State and not just urban areas. Spreading growth is very important. I am pleased that the new Action Plan for Jobs includes an IDA programme to build advanced manufacturing facilities and office space in regional locations to attract companies to more diverse areas.

Construction continues also have an important role to play. An industry which became bloated in the boom has now contracted far too much. I am glad to see that Action Plan for Jobs includes a priority for Government of publishing a construction sector strategy by the end of the month. Our population is growing and will need schools, houses and infrastructure to prosper. The construction industry must expand sensibly to meet this demand. As we expand the construction sector through various public and private sector capital projects, we must use our imaginations to ensure that our own Irish-based companies win many of the contracts to keep jobs local. It is down to imagination. I dealt with a man recently who makes a lot of furniture for libraries, etc. Very often tender conditions require that a business has a high turnover, four or five years' experience in an industry or a record of previous Government projects before it can secure even small contracts. We must use our cop-on to ensure that we design projects which will win jobs locally. We have adjusted the weighting but there are other things we can do. I have a constituent who cannot win a contract locally. Such contracts often go to companies based in the UK and he ends up getting the work anyway through them. It is a crazy situation. We must use common sense to ensure that as we re-ignite the construction sector, our own companies can win some of these projects.

On Action Plan for Jobs, I have specific points for the Ministers for Finance and Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, respectively, on the importance of supporting two initiatives in the year ahead that will go a long way towards helping SMEs. Consulting Ireland's mission is to provide practical support to consultancy practices and individual consultants based in Ireland to target and develop in emerging markets by exploiting opportunities which are primarily funded by the major international funding institutions. Under the stewardship of Seamus McCann, its key objectives are to ensure that Ireland regains its status as a leading payer and increases its share of ever-expanding overseas consultancy opportunities in these markets. By increasing their volume of business in overseas markets, members of Consulting Ireland will contribute to all sectors of the Irish economy as follow-on business is won by other companies. While Enterprise Ireland is providing some supports to Consulting Ireland, a great deal more would be gained by Irish businesses if there were additional focused measures adopted by Government. There are more than 200,000 public sector contracts to be won on a weekly basis internationally. Ireland used to be a leading player in winning these contracts, but we let matters slip during the boom years.

We must focus our minds.

If Irish companies can win consultant contracts, the economy will gain from the additional work they provide. Significant opportunities are going to waste. While the issue was partially addressed in Action Plan for Jobs, we must press ahead and develop this area to create and sustain jobs. I would have liked to raise a number of other issues but I am aware that other Deputies wish to contribute.

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