Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The question as tabled relates to the wholesale and retail sector. The latest quarterly national household survey published by the CSO on 26 May showed that the number of people employed in the wholesale and retail sector fell by 2,200 in the first quarter of this year. We acknowledge that fall.

It is a very diverse sector and it appears the experience is different in different parts. In April, overall, the volumes and value of retail sales were up by 6.8% and 4.4% on the same period last year. Growth was concentrated in the motor, furniture, clothing, hardware and electrical sectors. By contrast, declines were recorded in the volume of activity in groceries, books and newspapers, and pharmacies.

Structural changes, such as trading online, are occurring in the sector and are undoubtedly playing a role. On the other hand, an increase in the KBC-ESRI consumer sentiment index for April, which put Irish consumer sentiment at its strongest level since January 2007, is encouraging. However, the key challenge is to translate these improvements into jobs in the retail sector.

This year’s Action Plan for Jobs includes a number of measures to support the retail sector. These measures include the establishment of a retail consultation forum to provide a platform for a structured engagement between the retail sector and relevant Departments and Government agencies. Its purpose is to allow key issues of relevance to the sector to be discussed, with a view to identifying practical actions which could be taken by the Government, or by industry itself, to support the sector. The first meeting of the forum will take place on 9 June.

The Action Plan for Jobs also includes measures to address issues that impact on cost competitiveness in the sector, the introduction of a number of structural measures to support the retail sector, and the continuation of the online trading initiative and the integrated licensing application system for the retail sector.

See this speech in context