Tánaiste publishes ‘Jobs and Growth 2010’

Policy statement outlines Government actions for jobs and growth

The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Ms. Mary Coughlan, T.D., today (Friday, 19 March 2010) published Jobs and Growth 2010 and insisted that Ireland is well positioned for growth as new opportunities present in our key export markets. The policy statement, which outlines the range of Government measures taken to support job creation and growth, was provided as briefing to all Government Ministers travelling across the globe for St. Patrick’s Day trade, investment and promotion missions.

Jobs and Growth 2010outlines the core policies and measures that underpin the Government’s drive to grow exports and create sustainable jobs, including Government action in a number of key areas:

Recovery in Competitiveness: Business costs have fallen: wage bills, asset prices, energy and prices in general have responded to the effects of recession and corrective Government action. Competition in key sectors of the economy is being intensified.

Investing in people: Retraining people who have lost jobs; developing higher skills in the education system and in the workforce; and identifying where the skills needs of the future continues to be a centrepiece of government policy.

Investment and Jobs: Growing and attracting companies with global business potential – whether science based, high-tech manufacturing, international services, value-added agribusiness, education, health, tourism and leisure.

R&D and Innovation: Investing heavily in R&D, in universities and colleges and in industry to provide the skills and technologies that will give Irish companies a global advantage.

The Right Environment: The tax system is purposefully pro-business and fine-tuned to ensure it is internationally competitive. Our regulatory environment is smart and fair and we aim to further improve administrative cost savings for business in our “better regulation” programme.

World Class infrastructure:Maintaining a high level of capital investment in transport, energy and broadband infrastructure, which are fundamental to business operations.

New Jobs and new Sectors: Looking out over the horizon to the technologies and sectors which will drive global business opportunities and economic growth in Ireland – sectors that are fundamental such as health, education and green technologies, financial services, information technology, food, building and tourism.

Green Stimulus: Government spending for 2010 commits over €1 billion to programmes that support and stimulate the green economy, upgrade essential environmental infrastructure such as water and protect our rural environment. Ireland's ‘new green deal’ sees a transition to a low carbon economy, the promotion of green enterprise and the creation of ‘green collar’ jobs. This strategy is already paying dividends, fostering a new generation of innovators, supporting exciting collaborative projects and delivering future sustainable solutions to the marketplace.

Global Market footprint: Maintaining share in our major markets and growing our trade in the new markets of Asia, Russia and the Middle East. We are supporting Agencies that deliver our policies on skills, innovation, marketing, and entrepreneurship. We are using our “Green” brand with a renewed purpose and vigour to win jobs and investment and to build networks and links with new markets.

The report is available from the Department’s website here.

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