Plan commits that every region, including County Wexford, will have employment rate within 1% of national average of 6%
€4 billion extra capital for Future Jobs Fund from 2017Fine Gael TD,
Minister Paul Kehoe, today (Friday) said the party’s Jobs Plan would bring total employment in the State to 2.18 million – higher than at any point in the country’s history. The plan also commits to having the employment rate in every region of the State, including County Wexford within 1% of the national average of 6%.
Kehoe said: “Our ambition is clear. Under our plan, by 2020 anyone who wants a job will be able to get a job. Our jobs plan is the first of three steps in our Long Term Economic Plan to keep the recovery going. We will create 200,000 extra jobs by 2020, bringing total employment in the State to the highest point in our history at 2.18 million. Since the Action Plan for Jobs was launched in 2012, 136,000 more people are back at work and unemployment has dropped to 8.6%. The live register in County Wexford has fallen by 26.9%.
Almost 60% of the new jobs are outside Dublin, while every region is now experiencing jobs growth and falling unemployment. We are confident we can build on the success of the Action Plan and the specific strategic plans for each region. That is why we are committing to having the employment rate in every region in the State within 1% of the national average of 6% by 2020.
“In my time in office, I have exercised real influence and real delivery to secure many investments for the infrastructure of County Wexford, such as new roads, schools, services. Not only do these work towards the development of Wexford, but they serve to provide jobs. To take one example – the new Power Plant in Great Island, which employed 1200 people at the peak of its construction.
“All of the projects that are planned for Wexford will provide employment. The Enniscorthy & New Ross Bypasses, providing upwards of 500 Jobs, the New School Buildings in Enniscorthy and Wexford, the Gas Pipeline, the building of 677 Social Houses, the New Courthouse & Garda Station in Wexford, the Firs Station in New Ross.
“In the tourism industry, the introduction and retention of the 9% VAT rate and the development of Ireland’s Ancient East will drive tourism figures upwards, creating new jobs on a daily basis directly and indirectly.
“Investment in services and recruitment of front line staff in essential positions will not only provide much needed support for those services, but will bring jobs back into the area. Each job that is created and every person back to work has a knock-on effect on families, on the community and in the local economy, multiplying the benefits with every hour worked.
“Over the last five years Fine Gael has shown that it has the right policies and genuine commitment to pro-enterprise policies that can help our economy to grow and along with it more jobs. When we first set a target of creating 100,000 additional jobs within five year many scoffed at the target. Our political opponents criticised our plans and voted against the Budgets that underpinned our plans.
“Today we are committing to an even bolder, more ambitious plan for jobs: 200,000 extra jobs by 2020 and every region to benefit and be within 1% of the national average. Under Fine Gael’s plan we will fund an additional €4 billion in total capital investment over the five years period 2017-2021. The funds will be ring-fenced for a new ‘Future Jobs Investment Fund’ to future-proof the economy and our jobs plan against rising global risks and challenges. This is the right policy to build on the success of our jobs strategy in Government.
“Under Fianna Fáil, the wrong policies destroyed our economy and 300,000 jobs. The right ones have helped bring back136,000 jobs. Let’s stick with the party with the right policies, and grow more jobs to keep the recovery going.”
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