New Action Plan for Jobs will create further employment and keep the recovery going in Cork – Collins

“The new 2016 Actin Plan for Jobs will create further employment and help to keep the recovery going in Cork”, says Fine Gael TD for Cork North West, Áine Collins.

“Under the Fine Gael Labour Government, 135,000 jobs have been added to the economy since the launch of our Action Plan for Jobs. The new 2016 version of the plan launched today (Monday) by Minister Richard Bruton, will seek to continue this job creation success with a target of creating 50,000 more jobs this year alone.

“These are not just meaningless statistics. As well as giving someone an income, a job gives a person back their dignity and self-worth if they have been unemployed for a time, which we all know has been a very tough experience for many people in this country throughout the economic crisis.

“More jobs also mean more revenue for the State to invest in better public services, which will improve everyone’s quality of life.

“Business mentoring is something I have promoted and encouraged since I was elected, and so I am pleased to see that this Plan contains mentoring and management development programmes for 1,300 Irish companies in 2016.

“Another significant measure in the 2016 Plan will see all Government transactions with business available online by 2017, a move which will affect 370 Government transactions with 185,000 businesses across the country. As a business person myself I know exactly the kind of efficiencies this will bring, which of course leads to cost savings for businesses also.

“Don’t let the sceptics tell you that this is just a Dublin based recovery. Almost two thirds of the new jobs created in 2015 were outside Dublin. All of the regions recorded increases in full-time employment in 2015. Following the successful rollout of the Regional Jobs plans, this new 2016 Plan contains further actions to support regional jobs growth supported by €530 million in funding.

“Fine Gael has a long term economic plan and job creation is absolutely central to it. The target is to create 200,000 more jobs by 2020. The 2016 Action Plan for Jobs is just the next phase of this.”