Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 51: To ask the Taoiseach the recommendations submitted by him for a national reform programme under the Europe 2020 strategy for jobs and growth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21410/11]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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1The Europe 2020 Strategy has been adopted as a successor to the Lisbon Strategy for Jobs and Growth and aims to enable Europe to emerge stronger from the current economic crisis and to turn the European Union into a smart, sustainable and inclusive economy.

As part of the strategy each member state is required to prepare a National Reform Programme (NRP) for submission to the European Commission. Ireland's NRP was laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas on Friday 29 April and subsequently submitted to the European Commission, and is also available on my Department's website.

Ireland's NRP sets national targets in the five headline areas of (i) employment, (ii) research and development, (iii) climate change, (iv) education and (v) poverty.

(i) Employment - to increase the employment rate to 69-71% for women and men aged 20-64, including through the greater participation of young people, older workers and low-skilled workers and the better integration of legal migrants, and to review the target level of ambition in 2014, in the context of a proposed mid-term review of the Europe 2020 Strategy.

(ii) Research and Development - to raise combined public and private investment levels in this sector to 2.5% of GNP (approximately equivalent to 2.0% of GDP).

(iii) Climate Change - to reduce emissions in the non-traded sector by 20% compared to 2005 levels; to increase the share of renewables in final energy consumption to 16%; and to move towards a 20% increase in energy efficiency.

(iv) Education - to reduce the percentage of 18-24 year olds with at most lower secondary education and not in further education and training to 8%; and to increase the share of 30-34 years olds having completed tertiary or equivalent education to at least 60%.

(v) Poverty - To reduce the number experiencing consistent poverty to between 2-4% by 2012, with the aim of eliminating consistent poverty by 2016, which will lift at least 186,000 people out of the risk of poverty and exclusion. The Government proposes to initiate a comprehensive review of the national target in 2011.

The NRP complements the Stability Programme Update prepared by the Minister for Finance as part of the European Semester, and the commitments of countries participating in the Euro Plus Pact.

An assessment of Ireland's NRP published by the European Commission in June, and endorsed at the June European Council, recommends continued implementation of the measures agreed as part of the EU-IMF Programme of Support.