Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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282. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide an update on progress on the production and implementation of the cross-departmental plan for the green economy under the Action Plan for Jobs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35964/13]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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The 2012 Action Plan for Jobs contained a commitment to publish and implement a new plan for the development of the Green Economy.

The Government's Policy Statement on Growth and Employment in the Green Economy, Delivering Our Green Potential, was published in November 2012. The Statement sets out the enterprise opportunities in each sub-sector of the Green Economy, the actions the Government is taking to develop each area, and the structures which will be put in place to support the development of the Green Economy across Government. The Policy Statement is available on my Department's website at

Building on the Policy Statement in 2012, the 2013 Action Plan for Jobs also contains a number of commitments to support jobs in the Green Economy.

The Green Economy presents a major economic opportunity for employment creation in Ireland. We have significant strengths and advantages which we can leverage to exploit business opportunities in sectors such as renewable energy, smart grids, sustainable food, tourism, energy efficient products and services, and others. Delivering the individual commitments outlined in the Policy Statement requires a whole-of-Government approach to maximise the growth and jobs potential.

As part of the delivery structure, I have established and chair a Consultative Committee on Jobs in the Green Economy, to identify emerging opportunities for Ireland. The Consultative Committee involves representatives from the enterprise sector as well as other key stakeholders, including relevant Government Departments and agencies. A key objective of the Committee is to identify further practical actions that can be included in the 2014 Action Pan for Jobs to support the development of the Green Economy in Ireland.