Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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310. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the progress that has been made in creating job opportunities in Dublin North East and Dublin North Central; his plans to further encourage job opportunities in these areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4731/15]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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The Action Plan for Jobs since 2012 has set a comprehensive set of measures agreed by Government to promote jobs opportunities and employment growth in all parts of the country. The 2015 Action Plan for Jobs was launched on January 29th in ICON Plc. The Action Plan process is working. Almost 80,000 more people are at work since the launch of the first Action Plan for Jobs in 2012. Indigenous exports and foreign direct investment are at all-time record levels. Our competitiveness ranking internationally has climbed to 15th. The rate of unemployment has declined from a peak of 15.1 per cent at the start of 2012 to below 10.6 per cent at end 2014. The achievement of 100,000 additional jobs by 2016 will be an important milestone. Beyond this, we want to replace all of the jobs lost during the economic crisis and bring employment to 2.1 million in 2018.

The Action Plan for Jobs 2015 will be a further step along the way in meeting this medium-term goal for Ireland. The themes in this year’s Action Plan for Jobs build on the reforms of previous years in the areas of competitiveness, innovation and entrepreneurship and in fostering new sources of growth for the economy,

The 2015 Action Plan contains a suite of 380 actions to ensure we deliver not just the promised 100,000 additional jobs by 2016, but an additional 40,000 jobs this year alone. Specifically, in 2015, Enterprise Ireland will target the creation of 13,000 gross new full-time jobs in indigenous firms. IDA Ireland will target the creation of 14,000 gross new jobs in multinationals. It is estimated that every direct job created in agency assisted firms indirectly supports another job in the wider economy thereby making a strong contribution to the overall target of getting to full employment in 2018.

Key among the initiatives in the 2015 Action Plan for Jobs are six new Disruptive Reforms: significant projects that require cross Government collaboration that can make a real difference to enterprise and jobs in a short space of time.

Entrepreneurship is one of our Disruptive Reforms for 2015, supporting new job opportunities at local level. Through driving implementation of the actions in the new National Entrepreneurship Policy Statement we will double the jobs impact of start-ups in Ireland over the next five years, from 93,000 currently. We will increase the number of start-ups, the survival rate, and the capacity of startups to grow to scale, all by 25 per cent.

A major reform of support for creating job opportunities in 2014 was the launch of the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs), to make the operating environment for businesses and the system for delivery of support to micro and small enterprises more coherent, responsive and conducive to entrepreneurship at local level. The LEOs are now the first-stop-shop for those beginning a new business as well as those wishing to expand their existing one. The LEOs provide financial and non-financial supports to help micro and small businesses to expand their growth potential and the LEO staff can advise clients directly or direct them to the most appropriate source of support for their project.

Each LEO is developing a Local Enterprise Development Plan for 2015 which will aim at further boosting enterprise growth within the area within their remit by building on the achievements to date and setting targets for job creation and enterprise growth in their area. Key targets in the Plans will include new business start-ups, business expansions and jobs created or sustained as well as wider economic impacts such as exports, mentoring, training and enterprise promotion. It is expected that this reform will continue the momentum for sustained growth in job creation in each County across the country.

In addition, we will launch an Entrepreneur Partnering Programme, linking start-ups with established businesses. The new Startup Refunds for Entrepreneurs Scheme (SURE) will provide additional finance for entrepreneurs. We will support 130 new entrepreneurs via the New Frontiers Programme, support 185 Competitive and High Potential Startups.

The other Disruptive Reforms include the National Talent Drive in 2015, which will ensure we have the skills supply to underpin the new economy, including through the provision of 1,250 extra ICT places for students in 2015 and developing new apprenticeships in key sectors of the economy. We will also establish the Low Pay Commission, to undertake analysis and make a recommendation on the appropriate level of the national minimum wage. We will shortly launch competitive funding initiatives of up to €25 million to support entrepreneurship and innovation in the regions.

These Disruptive Reforms sit alongside the long menu of actions to support sales and exports, get credit flowing, drive innovation, cut red tape, and stimulate the domestic sectors (agri-food/marine, retail, tourism, construction).

The APJ2015 reforms and initiatives are focused on making it easier to do business and to create jobs in every part of the country and we are determined through these actions to create the conditions to achieve the target of 100,000 extra people at work by 2016 and contribute to our longer-term goal of restoring the country to have 2.1 million at work in 2018.