Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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87. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the extent to which the manufacturing sector has grown in the past five years; the scope for the future in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41337/19]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The manufacturing sector has grown significantly over the last five years.

The DBEI Annual Business Survey of Economic Impact (ABSEI) is a survey of approximately 4,200 client companies of Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Údarás na Gaeltachta employing ten or more employees in Ireland and comprises the Manufacturing and Information, Communication and Other Internationally Traded Services sectors. From this survey, Total Manufacturing Sales were €103.4 billion in 2017, up from €82.6 billion or 25.2% on 2013.

Total Manufacturing Sales, ABSEI Survey, 2013-2017

The DBEI Annual Employment Survey is an annual census of employment in all internationally trading Manufacturing and Services companies supported by the enterprise development agencies (IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, and Údarás na Gaeltachta). From this survey, Total Manufacturing Employment increased from 192,640 in 2014 to 227,052 in 2018, an increase of 34,412 or 17.0% on 2014.

Total Manufacturing Employment, Annual Employment Survey, 2014-2018

The Deputy should be aware that the CSO measures activity (including output and employment) in the manufacturing sector for the whole economy, not just the internationally trading firms that are the subject of the above surveys.

As regards the future prospects for the sector, on 10 March 2019, the Government launched Future Jobs Ireland 2019, the first in a series of annual reports as part of a multi-annual framework to ensure our enterprises and workers are resilient and prepared for future challenges and opportunities. This is a whole-of-Government, economy-wide approach, which will form a key part of Ireland’s economic agenda over the medium term. Future Jobs Ireland focuses on five key Pillars, namely: embracing Innovation and technological change; improving SME productivity; enhancing skills and developing and attracting talent; increasing participation in the labour force; and transitioning to a low carbon economy. It will focus on future challenges in terms of ensuring we have skilled people working in quality jobs in sustainable sectors. Future Jobs Ireland will also ensure our enterprises and workers are well positioned to adapt to the technological and other transformational changes the manufacturing sector and our economy and society will face in the years ahead.

Industry 4.0 capability will be a critical driver of competitiveness, underpinning future productivity growth and innovation in goods and services across the manufacturing value chain. A forthcoming national strategy will set out the Government’s approach to developing a globally competitive business environment for Industry 4.0