A total of 72 out of 77 measures in the Irish Government’s Action Plan for Jobs scheduled to be delivered in the second quarter of 2012 have been implemented, representing a 93pc completion rate, according to the Progress Report released today.
The announcement took place at Arran Healthcare, an Irish start-up based in the Guinness Enterprise Centre in Dublin and one of six companies selected to take part in the demonstrator project of the Healthcare Innovation Hub, one of the measures delivered by the plan.
Other measures include passing the Credit Guarantee Bill and the Microenterprise Loan Fund Bill, the establishment of two visa programmes for entrepreneurs coming from outside the EU, developing a management development programme for SMEs, the introduction of a ‘one-stop-shop’ technology transfer office, and the establishment of an IDA and Enterprise Ireland senior management team and the roll-out of joint initiatives in attracting inward entrepreneurs and maximising procurement opportunities for Irish business with multinationals.
Q1 commitments now complete
“The Action Plan for Jobs is central to our efforts in tackling unemployment, and I promised to ensure that Government would work hard to deliver on its ambition,” said the Taoiseach Enda Kenny, TD. “The Q1 commitments are 100pc complete and are yielding results. The Q2 commitments are more than 93pc complete and I expect they will be fully delivered in the coming weeks. We welcome the progress made but refuse to get complacent, as job creation remains at the top of our agenda.”
The Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore, TD, added, “Together with strategies such as the stimulus plan that we launched this week, the Government is determined to drive ahead with its job creation agenda.”
In total, the Action Plan for Jobs 2012 contains more than 270 actions to be delivered this year. By the end of Q1, 96pc of relevant measures were delivered on time and in full, with three outstanding measures that have since been implemented.
A step-by-step process
Among the five measures which missed the Q2 deadline were plans to accelerate the programme of revaluation of commercial premises to provide a basis for an adjustment of commercial rates, the submission of proposals on a new national waste policy, building on the work of the Next Generation Broadband Taskforce, and to commence lending from the Microfinance Fund.
These measures are in progress and the Government hopes they will all be implemented soon.
“When we as a Government launched the Action Plan for Jobs earlier this year, we stated very clearly that there was no ‘big bang’ solution to the jobs crisis, and that what was needed was determined, step-by-step implementation of our plan to rebuild the economy and create jobs,” said the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton, TD.
“Today’s announcement shows that implementation remains strong. We are making solid progress and have already put in a number of measures which will make a practical difference in making it easier for businesses to grow and create jobs,” he added.
