Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the extent to which he and or his Department has monitored or identified possible issues affecting competitiveness in the manufacturing or services sectors; the extent to which costs have been reduced or otherwise in this area in each of the past three years to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42052/12]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will indicate arising from any discussions he has had with employers the extent to which he is in a position to provide incentives for employers in the services sector to increase their labour force in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42063/12]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 243 and 254 together.

The National Competitiveness Council (NCC) periodically publishes a report on the “Costs of Doing Business in Ireland”. This report benchmarks business costs against a range of Ireland’s key competitor countries in a number of areas, such as labour costs, property costs, utility costs and business and professional services. The report also provides an analysis of cost profiles of the manufacturing and services sectors.

In its most recent Cost of Doing Business report, published in 2011, the NCC identified improvements in Ireland’s competitiveness, particularly in relation to labour costs and property costs. However, the NCC also advised that further progress is required to ensure that Irish enterprises can compete internationally.

Some operating costs for business are largely outside the control of Government. For example, fuel and energy prices are heavily influenced by external factors such as global fossil fuel prices. However, the Government’s approach has been to identify those areas of policy it can influence to bring about cost reductions or provide supports to business. The Action Plan for Jobs 2012 includes an extensive range of measures across Government which will help to reduce costs and support job creation.

A range financial and non-financial supports and incentives are also available from Government Departments, Offices and Agencies to support employment creation in all sectors. These include schemes such as Revenue Job Assist, the Employers' Job PRSI Incentive Scheme and the Job Expansion Fund. Details of financial supports for business are available on my Department’s website, www.enterprise.gov.ie.