Action Plan for Jobs 2012: 92% Of Measures Said To Be Delivered

Two hundred and forty-nine out of the 270 measures committed to be implemented in 2012 by all 15 Government Departments and 36 Agencies under the Action Plan for Jobs have been delivered, the Taoiseach, Tanaiste and Minister for Jobs announced last Friday.

They were speaking as they published the fourth and final quarterly progress report under Action Plan for Jobs 2012. Action Plan for Jobs 2013 will be published in the coming weeks.

As well as reporting on delivery of measures under the Action Plan, Minister Bruton also outlined signs of progress in the labour market, which include:

• Net growth of almost 12,000 in private sector employment in the past year. In the three years to March 2011 a net 250,000 jobs were lost in the private sector; and,
• Net growth of more than 15,000 in the exporting sectors since the start of 2011. In the three years 2008-2010 a net 45,000 jobs were lost in these sectors.

In February 2012 the Government published Action Plan for Jobs 2012, outlining the 270 new measures that would be implemented across Government last year to drive employment creation.

This was the first in an annual series of plans aimed at supporting a net increase in employment of 100,000 by 2016.

In a new departure for Government, underlining the priority assigned to job-creation, a monitoring committee was established led jointly by the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Jobs which committed to providing quarterly reports on the implementation by each Department and Agency of the measures committed for each quarter.

Among the measures delivered in 2012 are:

• €90million microfinance scheme to benefit 5500 businesses, create 7700 jobs;
• €450million credit guarantee scheme to benefit 5600 businesses, create 4000 jobs;
• €225million development capital scheme targeting investments of €2-€5million in mid-sized companies;
• New Potential Exporters Division established in Enterprise Ireland;
• Measures to turn good ideas emerging from State-backed scientific research into more good jobs, including Research Prioritisation, a "one-stop shop" for commercializing ideas and new technology research centres;
• Launch of the National Broadband Plan;
• Allocation of €20 million to a new Education and Training Fund targeting the Long Term Unemployed;
• Implementation of a series of pro-jobs tax measures;
• Industry-led manufacturing body to drive creation of 20,000 new jobs;
• Health Innovation Hub to drive collaboration between the health system and industry;
• A cross-Government Statement on the Green Economy with the potential to create 10,000 jobs.

Speaking after the announcement, the Taoiseach said: "Getting Ireland working again is the top priority for the Government.

"The Action Plan for Jobs 2012 supported the transition from the old, failed economy based on property, banking and debt to a new, sustainable economy based on exports, innovation and enterprise.

"While there is still much to do we are on the right track to recovery with private sector job creation increasing once again."