Kenny claims job creation progress

The Government has delivered on all but three of the 83 measures it set out for the first three months of its Action Plan for Jobs.

The four-year plan, launched in January, set out 270 actions which the Government says can create an extra 100,000 jobs by 2016.

At a press conference in Government buildings today, Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore and Minister for Jobs Richard Bruton said that 96 per cent of the plan's targets had been met in the first quarter.

Mr Kenny said that among the major initiatives was the launch of Succeed in Ireland, a plan to reward those who persuade international companies to provide jobs in Ireland. A new potential exporters division had been set up in Enterprise Ireland, he said, and the Government had published the Bill and appointed the operator for the
€150 million partial credit guarantee scheme.

He said the three that had been delayed were the cloud computing strategy, an initiative to cluster businesses and industry and the women in business plan. Progress had been achieved on all three, he added.

He said that at the announcement of 500 jobs in Baldoyle this week, Mylan chief executive Heather Bresche had said the decision to invest "was an easy decision based on productivity of the workforce."

He said the further announcement of 500 jobs by Apple today made it a good week for jobs. He said that Ireland was a good country to invest in.

"The head of the IMF Christine Lagarde said today that real progress is being made in Ireland. UCD and the Chinese authorities have [linked up] and the scientific analysis for Irish beef to enter China is now in train," he said.

"All of that leads me to say very strongly that it is critical for us to keep the high level of confidence moving in this country. It's another reason why people should vote yes on May 31st."

Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore at today’s press conference at Government Buildings in Dublin. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA Wire

Mr Gilmore said the core objective of the Government was economic recovery. "There is no magic bullet. We have to get there by grinding out the hard work day by day," he said.

In a reference to the Irish Times poll on the Fiscal Stability Treaty, Mr Gilmore said the most significant finding was that almost 40 per cent of voters had yet to make a decision on how they will vote.

"What we are doing is running the most vigorous information campaign. Everybody in the country will know what the information on the treaty is."

Asked about the ongoing discussions with the troika, Mr Kenny said the talks were being conducted on behalf of the Government by Minister for Finance Michael Noonan and Minister for Public Expenditure Brendan Howlin.

"I understand they had a very straight discussion with the troika this week on the decisions that affect Ireland in the future," he said. "As far was we are concerned, the negotiations on the promissory note will be a serious matter for the Government in the time ahead."