The government has published its Action Plan For Jobs 2013 aiming to radically increase job creation this year.
Launched by the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and the Minister for Jobs, the Action Plan is the next step in the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and accelerate Ireland’s transition to a ‘sustainable, jobs-rich economy based on enterprise, innovation and exports’.
The Plan, which contains 333 actions to be implemented in 2013 by 16 Government Departments and 46 agencies aims to improve supports for job creating businesses and remove the barriers to employment-creation across the economy.
These actions are in addition to the 249 actions implemented under Action Plan 2012.
According to the government, the 2013 Plan contains seven ‘Disruptive Reform’ measures that have ambitious deadlines and will be implemented in partnership with senior industry figures. These measures are:1. JobsPlus – over two years the State will pay €1 of every €4 it costs an employer to recruit a long-term unemployed person off the Live Register.2. ICT Skills – provide an additional 2,000 ICT graduate level professionals in 2013, and by 2018 lead Europe in terms of ICT graduates as a percentage of all third level graduates.3. Energy Efficiency – the Government will create a €70million Energy Efficiency Fund to support 20 major projects in 2013 and ultimately create 5,000 jobs.4. Trading Online – get 2,000 more small businesses trading online in 2013 and 2014, with the creation of 3,200 jobs.5. Business Licences – create a single licensing application system for up to 25 licences in the retail sector, saving retailers over €20million per annum.6. Big Data – make Ireland one of the leading countries in Europe for Big Data, a sector growing by up to 40% per annum.7. Health Innovation Hub – Government will establish a world-renowned centre to establish Ireland as a leading location for start-up and growing medtech and healthcare companies.Commenting on the Action Plan, An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny TD, said: "The Government's top priority is to get Ireland working again. The Action Plan for Jobs 2013 is central to our job creation ambitions as we seek to increase the number of new jobs by 100,000 by 2016… The Action Plan for Jobs will continue to focus on our traditional enterprise sectors along with new growth industries. It will target small Irish businesses and new start-ups as well as the biggest multinational companies. This year's plan will contain a number of landmark, step-change projects that will act as exemplars to enterprise as we rebuild an enterprise-focused economy.”
ReactionThe Action Plan For Jobs has been welcomed by Retail Excellence Ireland but the organisation warned that more still needs to be done to help the struggling retail industry.
David Fitzsimons, CEO Retail Excellence Ireland said: “While we welcome the measures announced today such as an Integrated Licensing Application System and steps to increase the number of businesses trading online, the Government must develop further practical measures to aid our struggling retail industry.
"Over the past few weeks, we have seen businesses fail and many jobs lost, the sector still remains very fragile and Government need to tackle this before we see further failure in the coming months”.
