Lorraine Higgins (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the House and commend the Government's Action Plan for Jobs. The Minister's input has reaped significant rewards after one of the most challenging economic periods on record, both nationally and internationally. In reflecting on the performance of the Action Plan for Jobs, it is important to consider all that this programme has achieved. As it stands, just under 80,000 additional people are at work compared to 2012 when the Government launched and began implementing the action plan. Jobs recovery has now taken hold, broadening and deepening across the country with seven out of eight regions showing job gains since the action plan first commenced.

Employment has increased in 11 out of 14 sectors of the economy over the past year, with increases particularly focused on key domestic economic areas such as construction and retail, which is most welcome. Just under 100,000 additional people are at work in the private sector today compared to when the action plan was launched in quarter 1 of 2012. Most significantly, unemployment is now at 10.9%, the lowest level since March 2009. There is no doubt that this marks a major turning point in Ireland's recovery and shows how decisions taken by this Government are turning the tide for Irish people.

I wish to raise one issue that has been brought to my attention. Greencore, one of Ireland's most successful companies nationally and internationally, was recently reported in the UK media concerning its recruitment of employees from Hungary to serve the needs of its Northampton plant. After reading this article, a constituent contacted my office in Galway querying why a company with such strong Irish ties is not attempting to recruit Irish workers in a similar fashion. What can the Minister do to ensure that a similar practice is not employed by this company's Irish operations or by any other Irish company?

I appreciate that there is a cost differential to be taken into consideration, as well as the practicalities involved. I want to make it clear that I am not against the free movement of people throughout the EU. Nevertheless, in light of Ireland's blossoming recovery, we must emphasise the important role that Irish businesses can play in supporting Irish workers and the Irish economy. As Ireland returns to prosperity, I urge the Minister to call upon companies to hire Irish in so far as possible and to buy Irish wherever possible in order to support our country further.