The Government has made a “solid start” in addressing the many challenges facing the country and ultimately bringing about Ireland’s recovery, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said.
He was speaking as he published the first annual report on the Programme for Government today.
The report provides an account of delivery of the programme’s commitments during the Government’s first year in office.
Mr Kenny said the first priority in Government was to restore economic, financial and political stability, and to re-build the international reputation of the country.
“Today’s report reflects that priority. Our bank reforms have stabilised the financial system. Our jobs initiatives have helped to stabilise the employment situation,” he said.
There were still “far too many people out of work”, but figures published today provided “some encouraging evidence of this stability”.
Mr Kenny said this was replicated right across Government. “We have made a solid start in addressing the many challenges facing the country and ultimately bringing about Ireland’s recovery.”
Speaking at Governnment Buildings, Mr Kenny said the country was now moving in the right direction but he acknowledged there was “a long way" to go.
“For the year ahead we are determined to continue to implement our Programme for Government – to work to create more and better jobs and to restore the public’s confidence in our economy.”
Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore said the stability that had been achieved was important to families, but that stability was not enough. “We still have a long way to go to have the kind of impact on people’s lives that we aspire to, and that they deserve,” he said.
Mr Gilmore said that what had been achieved had not been easy.
“It has required us to make difficult decisions – decisions that neither of us would ever have wanted to make. But those difficulties are nothing compared to what the Irish people are going through. If we have achieved stability, it is their hard work and sacrifice that has been the key to success.”
The Tánaiste said the Government’s focus on the past 12 months had been on stability. Its focus for the next 12 months was on recovery.