Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach and I thank the Senator for her attention and care on behalf of the people she represents to ensure that they get their fair share. I commend her on that and thank her for her efforts on their behalf. The Government is conscious of the particular problems facing Carlow and the south-east region more widely. The most recent official figures from the CSO, for the first quarter of 2017, show that the unemployment rate in the south east was 9.3% as compared with the national average of 6.7%. Although official unemployment estimates are not available at the county level, the rate in Carlow is likely to be in line with the regional total, and thus also above the national average.

There is some basis for optimism in the most recent figures, in that unemployment in the south east fell more rapidly than nationally over the last year. Continuation of this trend would see a substantial narrowing of the unemployment gap between Carlow, the south east and the country overall.

Government policy to reduce unemployment, both nationally and regionally is twofold. First we aim, through policies set out in the Action Plan for Jobs, to create an environment in which business can succeed and create jobs; and second, through Pathways to Work, we aim to ensure that as many of the new jobs and other vacancies which arise in our economy are filled by people taken from the live register, including young people.

The Pathways to Work strategies, initiated in 2012, determine the Department of Social Protection's approach to helping unemployed jobseekers return to work. Since the inception of Pathways to Work in 2012, employment and entitlement services have been brought together in "one-stop shop" Intreo centres; new schemes and employment supports have been introduced, while some existing schemes have been expanded; and there has been a transformation of jobseeker services through Intreo, with the scale and frequency of engagement with registered jobseekers being greatly increased. A social contract of rights and responsibilities between jobseekers and the State has been implemented.

In accordance with the Pathways to Work strategy, activation resources are concentrated on those most at risk of long-term unemployment. This in turn leads to a concentration of the Department of Social Protection's resources on areas of high unemployment. Within Carlow, the Department has seven activation case officers together with an activation support team. These officers work closely with other stakeholders including the Carlow and Kilkenny Education and Training Board to identify suitable training and educational opportunities for jobseekers in Carlow. Each month, case officers meet an average of 700 jobseekers to discuss the training and employment opportunities available to them. Case officers also work closely with employers to ensure that suitable people are matched to appropriate vacancies and in promoting the back to work enterprise allowance for those wishing to pursue self-employment. The promotion of the back to work enterprise allowance also involves close co-operation with the local enterprise office.Locally, the Department maintains close links with a range of stakeholders through its participation on the Carlow local community development committee and the south east regional skills forum. There are almost 370 places available on community employment schemes in Carlow along with a further 160 places on the Tús programme. The deployment of this wide range of resources has seen the number of jobseekers registered at the Department's offices fall by 2,501 or 36% since May 2012 and by 903 or 17% in the last 12 months alone.

I am informed by my colleague, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, that there are significant regional policy responses in respect of IDA and Enterprise Ireland activities. These are now brought together with other relevant support policies in the Action Plan for Jobs for the south east. Among the 194 actions in the plan to be delivered over the period 2015 to 2017 are a 30% increase in the number of start-up SMEs; a 30% to 40% increase in investments by overseas companies in the region by 2019, meaning at least 44 investments in the region over the coming years; a 20% increase in jobs in exporting companies, in particular in manufacturing, agrifood, business services and biopharma-medtech; a strong focus on the advanced manufacturing sector, which has been the traditional strength of the region; an 85% increase in exports over the next ten years through a range of measures in the agrifood sector; building on the success of companies like Eishtec, an industry-led forum for the business and financial services sector in the region, developing a financial service hub; to promote closer co-operation between employers and training and education bodies continue to progress the development of a technological university for the south east and boost apprenticeships in the region.

The south-east region has 72 IDA client companies which collectively employ 13,369 people. Seven of these companies, employing 800 people, are in Carlow. The main clusters are in high value manufacturing - pharmaceutical, medical devices and engineering - along with international financial services. IDA is now targeting a minimum of 30% to 40% increase in the number of investments for each region outside of Dublin. These investments will be a combination of new name investments, expansions from existing overseas companies in Ireland and research and development investments. Advanced technology buildings, ATBs, are an important support for attracting these investments and an ATB is planned for Carlow, to be completed this year.