Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 53: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation his priorities for the expansion of job creation in the manufacturing and service areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10123/11]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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A key objective of the Programme for Government is to promote job creation across the economy, including in the manufacturing and services sectors. The Programme outlines the actions which will be taken on a number of fronts to support jobs growth, including:

· improving access to finance for enterprises,

· getting our cost base right,

· helping businesses to be more innovative and to win new markets, and

· developing strategies to capitalise on Ireland's potential in key sectors.

The forthcoming Jobs Initiative will be an important first step in delivering policy to meet the ambitions in the Programme for Government. It will outline a range of measures which will be taken across all Government Departments - including my own - to restore confidence in the economy, improve our competitiveness and facilitate job creation and retention. Following the publication of the Jobs Initiative, I will continue to work, along with the enterprise agencies and my colleagues in Government, to develop a medium term Jobs Programme to further support the maintenance and creation of employment.