Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his responsibilities in relation to policy on job creation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44103/12]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Job creation is a key priority for the Government and is a central objective of the Programme for Government. My role and that of my Department is to ensure that we have the right policies in place to support enterprise growth and innovation so that employment can be created and maintained.

This Government inherited a situation where over 300,000 jobs had been lost in the three years prior to March 2011, our banking system had all but collapsed, and we were in the middle of a world-wide economic downturn. The country had become too dependent on a small number of sectors to support our economic performance – an approach that was neither wise nor sustainable.

Rescuing our economy from this situation requires transformational and structural change. We need to build an economy that is based on added-value, exports and innovation - one that can support sustainable jobs into the future.

The Action Plan for Jobs is a key policy response to achieving this objective. It focusses on transforming the landscape for enterprise by improving access to finance for companies, getting our cost base right, helping businesses to be more innovative and to win new markets. This is being achieved by systematically removing obstacles to competitiveness, putting downward pressure on business costs, promoting innovation and trade, supporting new and existing businesses to develop and expand, and by deepening the impact of foreign direct investment in Ireland.

The Taoiseach has asked me to lead the Action Plan process, but, reflecting the priority the Government affords to job creation, it involves delivery across all Government Departments as well as 36 State agencies. I have been working closely with my Ministerial colleagues to deliver on the commitments in the 2012 Action Plan for Jobs. My Department also co-chairs, with the Department of the Taoiseach, a Monitoring Committee which oversees the delivery of the individual actions.

The Action Plan for Jobs is a multiannual process which has the aim of supporting the creation of 100,000 extra jobs in the economy by 2016. I am currently preparing the 2013 Action Plan for Jobs on behalf of the Government and will be exploring further measures that can be taken to transform our economy and support job creation.