Minister O’Keeffe to lead drive to create 117,000 jobs over next 10 years

Minister to chair high-level implementation group for Innovation Taskforce recommendations

The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, Batt O’Keeffe TD, is to lead a group of top industrialists and public servants aiming to create 117,000 jobs over the next decade by implementing the report of the Innovation Taskforce.

Announcing the membership of a high-level implementation group today [Monday], Minister O’Keeffe described the appointments as ‘high-calibre and target-driven’.

He said the task facing the group was ‘important in determining the strategic direction the country takes over the next decade and our more immediate prospects for economic recovery’.

The Innovation Taskforce report, published in March, focuses on driving innovation by supporting ideas, technology and processes that have commercial potential.

Minister O’Keeffe said: ‘We must now move on implementing the recommendations of the Innovation Taskforce which could create about 117,000 new jobs by 2020.

‘In driving the work of the committee, I will be drawing on the expertise and experience of the members whose backgrounds are in the private and public sectors.

‘We want to make Ireland the best place in Europe to turn research and knowledge into products and services and the best place in Europe to start and grow an innovative company.

‘We want Ireland to be the home of scalable small-and-medium-sized enterprises and the best place in Europe for research-intensive multinationals to partner with clusters of smaller firms.’

The committee will first review the state of play on each recommendation to determine where immediate implementation is possible.

Other recommendations will need close engagement with agencies and Government departments to move the implementation process on.

The Taoiseach, Brian Cowen TD, said: ‘The Innovation Taskforce has identified an ambitious set of recommendations to transform Ireland into a global innovation hub and drive job creation in innovative export-focused sectors.

‘The committee, led by Minister O’Keeffe, will have my strong support in driving implementation.

‘I have asked my ministerial colleagues to prioritise the implementation of recommendations from the Taskforce Report for which they are responsible.’

ENDS

The members of the high-level implementation committee for the Innovation Taskforce are:

• Batt O’Keeffe TD, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation [Chairman]
• Lionel Alexander, Member of the Innovation Taskforce, Chair of Enterprise Feedback Group, Vice-President and General Manager, Hewlett Packard (Manufacturing) Ltd
• Aidan Brady, CEO, Citibank Ireland
• Ned Costello, Member of the Innovation Taskforce, CEO of the Irish Universities Association
• Aidan Fitzsimons, Member of Enterprise Feedback Group, Dairygold Cooperative Society
• Chris Horn, member of the Innovation Taskforce, Co-founder and former CEO of Iona Technologies
• Brian Kelly, Member of the Innovation Taskforce, Founder and CEO Celtic Catalysts
• Bryan Mohally, Member of the Innovation Taskforce, Vice-President Supply Chains Operations Europe, Johnson & Johnson
• Dr Cian Ó Mathúna, Head of Microsystems Research, Tyndall National Institute, Cork
• Anna Scally, Member of the Innovation Taskforce, Partner, KPMG

Departments/agencies

• Kevin Cardiff, Secretary General, Department of Finance
• Seán Gorman, Secretary General, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation
• Dermot McCarthy, Secretary General, Department of An Taoiseach
• Brigid McManus, Secretary General, Department of Education and Skills
• Aidan Dunning, Secretary General, Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources
• Jane Williams, CEO, Forfás

The chief executives of relevant agencies and other Departments will be invited to attend as required.

ENDS

For further information please contact:

Bernard Mallee, Press Adviser to Minister Batt O'Keeffe, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, on Tel: +353 1 631 3944, Mobile: +353 87 9173022, Email: bernard_mallee@entemp.ie