Opposition parties have criticised the Government’s new integrated plan for trade, tourism and investment strategy which aims at generating up to 300,000 jobs.
Fine Gael’s spokesman on enterprise, jobs and economic planning Richard Bruton said the strategy is “bogus” and the Government should be doing more to try and stop young people from emigrating.
“Ireland is facing into a massive brain drain, with 100,000 already departed from our shores and another 65,000 set to join them this year. Many of these are highly educated graduates that we need to rebuild the shattered economy," he said. "We really need a very vigorous policy to keep that young talent here at home because that young talent is the core to rebuilding a strong economy.
“The present policy of focussing solely on bailing out the banks is sacrificing those young people who will never return many of them if we don’t intervene now,” he said.
Mr Bruton said the Government should sell old State assets to provide equity for a major investment programme in key economic arteries without depending on the exchequer, scrap the airport tax to increase tourism, use the National Pension Reserve Fund to provide seed capital for alternative sources of credit for small business and reduce employers PRSI.
Labour spokesman on enterprise and innovation Willie Penrose said today’s announcement is “high on ambitious targets” and very short on specifics.
“If these initiatives represent a genuine re-focusing of government attention on the huge economic and social problem that unemployment represents, then that would be a welcome development.”
“Of course we need to exploit the potential that is there in terms of the smart economy…but have to have realistic strategies for the bread-and-butter sectors, like tourism, agri-business and small businesses that can and will provide employment across the regions.”
“We have to offer meaningful re-training and work-experience programmes,” he added.
Sinn Féin’s Arthur Morgan said while the plan has enormous potential if implemented properly he has “serious doubts” about the Government’s commitment to resourcing and seeing it through.
“The success of this plan hinges on the resolve of the Government and their ability to keep job creation and enterprise development to the fore of the economic agenda.
“This involves more than launching a plan; this involves investing in it, putting in resources and seeing the plan through. This is where the Government falls down and where today’s announcement is at risk of being shelved as just another PR stunt.”
Business group Ibec said they were disappointed there were no plans to include a private business representative on the Foreign Trade Council.
But Pat Ivory, the organisation’s head of international trade and transport policy, said there was huge potential for the plan and for companies to do more business internationally.
“The emerging markets of China, India and Latin America offer new opportunities, in addition to those provided by an enlarged EU and the Gulf region,” he said.
Mr Ivory said exports would help resurrect the economy.
Meanwhile, Labour’s spokeswoman on social protection Rosin Shortall said the Employers’ PRSI Job Incentive Scheme announced in last year’s budget has only delivered work for 629 people.
She said while the jobs are welcome, less than 2,000 of the 10,000 promised jobs will have been created by the time the scheme is scheduled to be wound down at the end of the year.
Ms Shortall said the Government took far too long in introducing the scheme and has not done enough to let employers know about it.
“The Government has no choice now but to extend the incentive into 2011," she said. "If the scheme works properly, it is revenue neutral or better while providing a stimulus to employment however, that won’t happen unless the Government stimulates itself into promoting the scheme so that it has a fair chance of success.”
Additional reporting PA
