Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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19. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the progress that is being made towards the goal of increasing employment in the manufacturing sector by 20,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23793/14]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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The Forfás Strategy on Manufacturing, which was launched in April 2013, identified that a total of 205,700 people were directly employed in Manufacturing and that a similar number of jobs were indirectly supported. At the end of 2013, Central Statistics Office Data (Quarterly National Household Survey, Q 4 2013) shows that a total of 215,900 were directly employed in the sector, a rise of 10,200 on that earlier figure. When account is taken of indirect jobs, the position is that the Manufacturing sector supports over 430,000 jobs (end 2013).

Overall, steady progress is being made towards reaching the target of 20,000 new jobs by 2016 which the Government has set in relation to job creation potential in the Manufacturing sector. I believe that the positive employment trends seen in recent years in the sector can be further built on by focusing policy on developing Ireland’s strengths in key, high-value manufacturing areas. This will enhance Ireland’s competitiveness and help create good quality, sustainable jobs in Manufacturing.