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

As the Deputy knows, the target set out in the Action Plan for Jobs is to create 100,000 extra jobs by 2016. No individual targets are set, but I think the services sector would already employ about 76% of the total employment in the country. Naturally, therefore, that is a major area we will be operating in. In the manufacturing sector, there are key areas set out under food, biopharmaceuticals and medical devices where we are really trying to drive that agenda. There is a manufacturing initiative and forum as well to try to have a step-change there so we are focusing on them.

In the services sector, the potential would be in tourism, software services, business services and retail. These have been identified and we put structures in place to try to assist in their development as well. It is clear that extra jobs in some of these areas both in manufacturing and in services have made a major contribution to the overall increase of 68,700 extra people at work since the Action Plan for Jobs was launched.

It is about trying to direct the supports to the key areas. As I said earlier, the Action Plan for Jobs is trying to bring in every Department. The Departments of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Health, and Education and Skills all have their roles because we have to get back to creating long-term sustainable enterprise-driven jobs in services, manufacturing and medical devices. I was at a presentation on the pharmaceutical area this morning. There are key areas involved here.

The other part of the Deputy's question related to how the innovation agenda forms part of that. I would very clearly say, having spent the past three or four months in this job as Minister of State with responsibility for innovation, skills and research, that the innovation agenda is probably driving about two thirds of the jobs growth. In many of the companies I visit I can see that the money they are investing in research, development and innovation is leading on to job creation. That has a major role to play. In the past two or three years the Government has targeted and prioritised funding on certain areas of the research and development agenda, trying to align taxpayers' money with industry in areas where Ireland can compete, excel and be a world leader. That is paying off and is leading on to jobs.

Deputy Coppinger wants the Government to create all the jobs. We do not believe the role of the Government is to create all the jobs. However, we should create the environment in which jobs can be created. That involves using taxpayers' money to provide supports for all sides of the business in all sectors. Two weeks ago at a science debate I listened to Deputy Coppinger's colleague saying that we should supply all the money for research and development. I have asked the same question of her colleague, Deputy Paul Murphy, and I ask it of her. They do not want us to collect any money in any form of taxes or water charges and yet they want the Government to spend money in every area and be the only people spending money. We believe that to drive the economy we need to work with industry and the Action Plan for Jobs is about providing State supports and working together, with industry to target money in key areas which will lead on to job creation.

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