Catherine Noone (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for coming to the House. I commend him on his work. As other speakers have said, clearly the Government and Ministers' work has started to bear fruit. I appreciate Senator Reilly's comments in that regard.

I do not think anybody thought the economy would recover overnight. The economy was damaged when the Minister, Deputy Noonan, was appointed to his portfolio. We are doing quite well, notwithstanding the fact that many in society are not yet experiencing the effects of economic recovery. The Action Plan for Jobs 2013 was very positive. It builds on the 500 measures already implemented through the Action Plan for Jobs 2012. At the recent Fine Gael Ard-Fheis, everything related to jobs was to the forefront. As Senator Gilroy said, it is the only show in town. Unemployment, especially youth unemployment, is the central focus at European level. Youth unemployment is the priority of the Greek Presidency.

I wish to comment on the hospitality and the construction sectors. Research by Amárach Consulting shows that 30,000 jobs will be created in construction by 2018, bringing total employment to 178,000. It is still a fraction of the level in the boom, but I do not think anybody would want to go back to the level at that time. According to a spokesperson for the Construction Industry Federation, their members are now raising concerns about future skills shortages. Senator Clune alluded to the shortage of electricians and plasterers, which suggests there is a role for the VECs. I appreciate it is not the Minister's direct responsibility but it is interesting from the point of view of the economy generally.

Clearly, the hospitality sector is thriving. The Minister has played his part by creating the 9% rate of VAT for the services sector and maintaining it when asked to do so by the various sectors involved. Since 2011, more than 23,000 jobs, both full-time and part-time, have been created in the hospitality sector. As of today, there are apparently 3,000 unfilled positions. That begs the question of how it is that 3,000 jobs remain unfilled in the hospitality sector. I would be interested to hear the Minister's comments, although this is an issue for the Department of Social Protection.

Let me sound a positive note. Ireland was voted the destination offering the most potential for Chinese travellers at a Shanghai ceremony this morning. More than 3 million people in China made that decision and Ireland was competing against destinations such as South Africa, Dubai, Turkey and other countries. This is a real sign of Ireland's potential as a destination as well as the potential of the market in the East. There is a commitment by Tourism Ireland to build the number of Chinese tourists from 17,000 to 50,000 visitors per year. We need to be prepared for all the people who want to come to our shores.