Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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36. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation when the action plan for jobs 2018 will be published; and if all submissions to this plan will be taken into consideration. [42956/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for a Partnership Government commits to maintaining the OECD endorsed Action Plan for Jobs process; that Government will on an annual basis consult with all relevant stakeholders to draft a Plan that contains the best ideas for job creation and retention within available resources.

The Action Plan for Jobs is one of the Government’s key instruments to support job creation. The Action Plan for Jobs process is working. Since the first Plan was launched in early 2012, there are over 225,000 more people at work bringing total employment in the State to almost 2,063,000 by end of Quarter 2, 2017, with more than three out of every four new jobs created outside of Dublin.

While unemployment has fallen significantly and employment continues to grow strongly, this Government’s goal is to have an additional 200,000 people at work by 2020, including 135,000 jobs outside of Dublin.

In July 2017 my Department commenced the whole of government process to develop the Action Plan for Jobs 2018.

To date, I have met with a wide range of representative organisations and businesses. In addition, the Department has invited submissions for ideas and actions that could be included in the 2018 Action Plan to support its 2020 goals and contribute to creating the right environment for continued job growth and retention right across the country. While it is important that the Department’s day-to-day activities to support job creation should continue to be delivered, proposals for the 2018 Plan will focus on new and more strategic actions that will have a significant impact on sustainable job creation.

Building a strong economy and enterprise sector that can deliver sustainable full employment is significantly more challenging in light of increasing international uncertainty, particularly in the global trading and investment environment. As set out in the Government’s Summer Economic Statement we, now more than ever, need to build economic resilience, so as to strengthen our ability to absorb, adjust and respond to severe shocks.

We must intensify our efforts to enhance and improve competitiveness and focus on structural reforms which improve productivity across the economy, including increasing efficiencies, and reducing unnecessary administrative burdens. We must continue to develop, nurture and attract world class talent and drive investment in innovation to sustain a competitive advantage, particularly in strategically important areas.

A sustained cross-Government focus is necessary to secure the gains already made and to deliver sustainable economic and employment growth across the country.

My Department is particularly interested in actions that support the following themes:

- Maintaining and enhancing resilience, productivity and competitiveness;

- Supporting and fostering enterprise via actions including the following:

- Growing Irish companies and enhancing their agility and resilience to the changing external environment for trading;

- Driving entrepreneurship and start-up companies;

- Developing and deepening the impact of foreign direct investment and ensuring it continues to be spread throughout regional Ireland;

- Accelerating regional development and growth;

- Delivering the skills for maintaining a talented and dynamic workforce;

- Promoting innovation that delivers success in international markets;

- Supporting the growth of the Digital Economy, building on existing initiatives such as Industry 4.0 and Digital Skills;

- Addressing new labour market challenges, such as expanding labour market participation across all sections of society;

- Ensuring access to competitive finance; and

- Identifying a small number of big ideas and reforms that could make meaningful impacts on the business environment.

The 2018 Action Plan for Jobs will be published by Feb 2018. Submissions from all stakeholders will be considered for inclusion. 

I will be working with Ministerial colleagues to ensure that the 2018 Plan is ambitious and impactful and keeps us on track to deliver on our 2020 targets.