To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the extent to which he and his Department continues to engage and or liaise with traditional or indigenous enterprises with a view to possible job creating prospects for the future with particular reference to enterprises likely to have the greatest potential in terms of short or medium term job creation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
– Bernard J. Durkan.
* For WRITTEN answer on Thursday, 24th January, 2013.
Ref No: 3680/13
To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the extent to which, through his contacts with the various stakeholders, he has identified the factors most likely to seriously affect job retention or creation over the next three years; the measures he has put in place or intends to put in place to address such issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
– Bernard J. Durkan.
* For WRITTEN answer on Thursday, 24th January, 2013.
Ref No: 3681/13
R E P L Y
Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (Mr Bruton)
I propose to answer Questions 109 and 110 together.
Ireland is a small open economy and the success of our exports, as well as our ability to attract inward investment, is key to creating and sustaining employment. Irish exports have performed well in recent years. Developments in international markets have an important impact on the ability of Irish enterprise to create and sustain jobs. Therefore retaining and improving the competitiveness of Irish enterprise will be central to continuing to grow exports and jobs.
The entire focus of the Action Plan for Jobs is on improving competitiveness, transforming the operating environment, protecting existing jobs and supporting the creation of new ones.
An important factor affecting job retention and creation in indigenous companies in particular is their ability to access finance from both bank and non-bank sources. The Minister for Finance has set ambitious SME lending targets for the two pillar banks and has set up the Credit Review Office to ensure that viable enterprises can access finance. I recently launched the Microenterprise Loan Fund and the Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme both of which are designed to address specific market failures. There are just some examples of what we are doing in this area.
I am currently finalising the 2013 Action Plan for Jobs on behalf of the Government. As part of the process of preparing the plan I consulted with a wide variety of stakeholders, both in the public and private sector.
These consultations took the form of meetings, submissions, letters and informal contacts with interested parties to establish what issues business were encountering in trying to maintain and grow their business, hire new staff and in their dealings with Government and regulatory authorities. I also sought to establish what could be done to make Ireland a more attractive country in which to do business, to help indigenous business to start-up and grow and to encourage further deepening and embedding of, foreign direct investment in our economy.
The Action Plan will be published in the coming weeks and will once again include a range of actions to be delivered across Government that will improve the operating environment for business, improve Ireland’s competitiveness and support job creation.