Written answers

Thursday, 26 November 2015

Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

Action Plan for Jobs

Photo of Seán KyneSeán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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20. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in the context of the designation of Galway as a United Nations educational scientific and cultural organisation city of film, the steps he is taking as part of the Action Plan for Jobs, and otherwise, to stimulate job creation and the further development of the creative industries, such as film and television production; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41744/15]

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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The Action Plan for Jobs initiated by Government in 2012 has sought to harness the potential of all sectors of the economy for employment growth and to ensure we capture new and emerging areas of opportunity throughout the country. The most recent data from the CSO indicates that employment has grown in all regions and in all sectors of the economy over the last four years, with 135,800 additional at work since the start of the Action Plan process in 2012.

The Action Plan for Jobs, together with other bodies such as the Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas (CEDRA) have identified the creative sector as one of the key sectoral opportunities for economic growth and job creation in Ireland. Ireland's creative industries are manifest in many forms from art, music and literature, through to film, design and digital media. The quality of life and inspiration from the landscape and culture are among the strongest motivators for attracting creative people to live and work in Ireland and throughout the regions. The important economic contribution of the film sector was also recognised in Budget 2016 and the Minister for Finance increased the cap for film relief by 40% to €70m.

As part of the 2015 Action Plan for Jobs, we committed to developing Action Plans for every region in the country. The Action Plan for the West region was published, by the Taoiseach and I, on 16 November last. The West Action Plan for Jobs sets ambitious targets to see the creation of an additional 25,000 jobs in the West region over the period to 2020. The West Action Plan for Jobs-Regional highlights that creativity is a distinctive strength of the West region and sets out a number of measures to develop the potential of the Creative Industries in the region over the period to 2020. The designation of Galway City as UNESCO City of Film - one of only five such cities in the world - is testament to the international recognition which our creative industries have achieved.

The West Action Plan for Jobs-Regional sets out a number of actions which the stakeholders in the region will take forward over the coming period. These include the development and implementation of an Action Plan to support the Film industry in Galway and the West region and to explore the potential for a Regional Film Fund, over the period 2015-2107. Ensuring we have a pipeline of talent for the sector is a key priority and as part of the West Action Plan for Jobs Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board (GRETB) will roll out a Traineeship programme in TV and Film at Level 5 to support this growing sector in 2016.

The Western Development Commission (WDC) disburses a range of supports for the sector in the West region. The WDC will implement a new €2 million transnational project called Creative Momentum. This project will further develop new routes to export markets for creative enterprises, as well as providing international networking opportunities with creative enterprises. The WDC is also to disburse a targeted Micro-Loan fund for the Creative Industries in the Western Region and has developed the MyCreativeEdge.eu website which provides an online showcase for creative enterprises, which is advertised to the diaspora in the US and UK. To further promote growth and exports by the sector, for the past three years the WDC has partnered with the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland on their International Fair Fund to support craft makers from the region to attend overseas Trade Fairs.

The local authorities will also support the Creative Industries though initiatives such as Made in Galway, while Roscommon Co. Council will implement a development programme for the sector.

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