Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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81. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the position regarding the development of the regional jobs plan for the south-west; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19026/15]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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The aim of the Action Plan for Jobs is to support enterprise growth and job creation in every region of the country. In relation to the South West Region, good progress has been made since the launch of the national Action Plan for Jobs process four years ago where the rate of unemployment in the South West Region has fallen from 13.5% in 2011 to 10.6% in Q4 2014.

Over 3,200 jobs were lost by Enterprise Ireland and IDA supported companies in the period 2008 – 2010 in the South-West Region, Since 2011, over 10,600 extra jobs have been created in EI and IDA supported companies in the South-West region. The Action Plan for Jobs for the South-West will build on the progress which has already been made.

The 2015 Action Plan for Jobs includes a Disruptive Reform to develop the potential of the regions to support enterprise growth and job creation. A key element of this Disruptive Reform involves the development of Regional Action Plans for Jobs,to include actions to be taken across a range of Departments and agencies to ensure that all regions of the country can fulfil their enterprise and jobs potential.

The Action Plan for Jobs for the South West Region is about building on the capabilities and strengths of the region, covering counties Cork and Kerry, to develop a more dynamic, internationally competitive and sustainable enterprise economy that can provide well paid jobs and secure sustainable full employment over the long term.

A public sector Project Delivery Group has been established in the South West Region, convened by the IDA Ireland Director in the region and working with senior officials in my Department.

To date two regional stakeholder consultation meetings have been held in the South West Region, in Kerry and Cork respectively. There were over 240 attendees engaged in the process at the two meetings, from enterprise, business representative organisations, further and higher education bodies and local authorities, together with the representatives of EI, IDA, Údarás na Gaeltacht, the Local Enterprise Offices and ConnectIreland among others. Officials from my Department have also briefed the members of the Southern Assembly.

Tomorrow morning I will host another stakeholder meeting in Killarney as part of the development of the South West plan.

Following the stakeholder meetings, my Department has also received inputs and submissions from a number of bodies. All of these inputs are to be considered at a joint Project Delivery Group and Enterprise Stakeholders meeting on 15 June 2015.

To support the Regional Action Plan for Jobs Process, my Department through EI and IDA, will provide €250m in additional funding over five years to support the implementation of the Regional Action Plans:

-€150m for IDA Ireland to roll out a 5-year €150 million capital investment programme, which will act as a ‘property magnet’ to help attract more multinational jobs into each region; and

-€100m to support and encourage regional stakeholders in working together on best practice initiatives, provided by DJEI through Enterprise Ireland and a series of competitive calls.

The development of the South West Action Plan for Jobs is on track for completion over the coming weeks.