Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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88. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his plans to set specific targets for job creation with a view to a major positive impact on the creation of employment in the aftermath of the Covid-19 crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16004/20]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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In a few short months, Ireland has gone from a position of record employment to record unemployment and faces an unprecedented challenge in terms of getting people back into employment. The Department of Finance’s Stability Programme Update (SPU) published in April indicated that employment is projected to fall substantially with approximately 220,000 jobs being lost this year. The Government's aim is to create 200,000 new jobs by 2025 as well as helping people currently unemployed due to COVID-19 back to work.

Since I took up the role of Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, my focus has been on preparing the July Stimulus Package which will save jobs, create new ones and get our people back to work as quickly as possible. Not only must we overcome the current challenges, but we must also look ahead and set our economy on the right course for the future.

Already there are some welcome signs of improvement in business activity and the economy. However, sectors that employ a lot of people, such as tourism and hospitality, arts and entertainment and other services that rely on social interaction, continue to be in serious difficulty and their recovery prospects are highly uncertain.

My officials and I have been engaging with colleagues across Government to ensure that the needs of business are to the forefront in the preparation of the July Stimulus package. We know that many viable businesses will need additional support to help see them through the re-opening period and to help them adapt and refocus their business models.

While immediate focus is on preserving existing firms and jobs, the July package should also have an eye to exploiting emerging opportunities and attract high value projects with significant economic benefits. Importantly, the July Initiative must position our economy and firms to meet future challenges. In the near-term, this includes helping companies further in overcoming the challenges of Brexit but we also need to include measures that build enterprise resilience and help them transition to a low carbon future.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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89. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the extent to which he can liaise with his colleagues throughout the European Union with a view to maximisation of efforts in a co-ordinated fashion to support job creation in the aftermath of the Covid-19 crisis and Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16005/20]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Over the coming months I look forward to working with my EU counterparts both bilaterally and at meetings of the European Council of Ministers in its Employment and Social Affairs, Competitiveness, and Foreign Affairs -Trade configurations. Under the German Presidency we will debate a wide variety of topics at each Council aimed at supporting Member employment policies and enterprises, particularly SMEs, encouraging economic growth and improving the EU's competitiveness, all of which I believe will impact on job creation.

At the Employment and Social Affairs Council, I will engage with my fellow Ministers on key employment challenges facing us, guidelines on employment policies and strengthening minimum income protection. There may also be an opportunity to discuss a new youth employment guarantee. At the Competitiveness Council we will consider how best to strengthen the Single Market for a strong recovery and a competitive, sustainable Europe, and how to develop our enterprises for growth and employment. At the Trade Council I will seek to open new markets and opportunities for Irish companies to grow their exports and so provide new job opportunities.

Alongside the formal Council agendas, I plan to engage bilaterally with my counterparts. Fostering job creation will be part of those discussions.

The Multiannual Financial Framework for 2021-2027, a Budget for European Recovery and Resilience, and the Next Generation EU Recovery Fund is under negotiation. One of the three pillars in the Next Generation EU is focussed on kick-starting the economy by supporting key sectors and technologies, investing in key value chains and providing solvency support for viable companies. This package is on top of funding amounting to €540 billion already agreed, which includes a temporary support to mitigate unemployment risks and protect existing jobs.

I believe that by working together at EU level and rebooting the economy using the Recovery Fund we can generate and enable sustainable economic growth which will support job creation.