John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 132: To ask the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation the position regarding the restructuring of his Department; the way these new changes will help promote job creation and economic revitalization; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17758/11]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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The new structures in my Department are aimed at maximizing the potential of the Department to support mine and the Government's top priority, which is job creation and retention. Each of the Divisions in my Department has a key role to play in supporting this agenda and helping to restore the economy, through improved competitiveness, market liberalization and increasing our export potential.

The new structures will help to support the outcomes of a number of exercises that we are currently engaged in, including the development of a new Strategy for the next three years, a Comprehensive Expenditure Review of current and capital expenditure and modernisation of work practices under the Croke Park Agreement.

A particularly important development has been the establishment of a new:

· Competitiveness and Jobs Division, which has responsibility for promoting and delivering the Jobs Strategy and the Jobs Initiative, improving business access to finance including the development of a targeted partial loan guarantee scheme and the setting up of a new micro finance fund, increasing competitiveness, and developing policy in relation to Small Business and Indigenous Enterprise. The Division also monitors the impact of climate change issues on enterprise.

Other Divisions are configured to maximise delivery on the Programme for Government including:

· EU Affairs and Trade Policy Division, which has responsibility for Internal Market issues, EU Affairs, with a particular focus on Ireland's upcoming EU presidency from January to June 2013, Multilateral Trade Policy, Economic Immigration Policy and Health and Safety and Chemicals Regulation.

· Corporate Services, Employment Rights and Industrial Relations Division, which has responsibility Labour reform and the employment rights regulatory framework, enhancement of dispute resolution machinery as well as responsibility for maximising the Department's own capacity to deliver in terms of HR, financial management and organisational systems and processes.

· Innovation and Investment Division, which has responsibility for the IDA and Science Foundation Ireland, the multinational sector and inward investment Policy, as well as for R&D and innovation.

· Commerce, Consumer and Competition Division, which has responsibility for Competition and Consumer Policy, Better Business Regulation and Company Law.