Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland radio show, Ireland’s Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton, TD, admitted that a lot of groundwork needs to be done for unemployment in Ireland, and revealed hopes that showcasing Ireland’s scientific achievements will lead to further growth.
“Absolutely the unemployment rate is far too high,” said the Minister, who then went on to list areas that are seeing more positive figures.
“We are now seeing private-sector employment grow, we’re seeing the enterprise economy grow, we’re seeing our exports grow, we’re seeing our international investment grow,” he said.
100,000 more working by 2016
Bruton also cited the efforts of Joan Burton, Minister for Social Protection, in working towards getting 100,000 more people out working by 2016, the target in the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs.
“For years, we made idleness a condition of any welfare payment,” he said. “Now, what Joan Burton is saying, we want to use the welfare system to help people to develop their potential – and that is a whole new philosophy,” he said.
Bruton commended Burton for the Pathways to Work and JobBridge programmes, the latter of which has seen 8,500 people placed in internships across the country, 40pc of which have since gotten jobs, according to the minister. Bruton also credited Minister for Education and Skills Ruairi Quinn’s efforts in decreasing unemployment with the Springboard scheme.
ESOF showcase could lead to more jobs in research
When asked if he believes the Euroscience Open Forum (ESOF) currently taking place in Dublin could lead to job creation, Bruton had a positive outlook.
More than 5,000 delegates are attending the conference, as well as 400 international journalists, and Bruton sees this as an opportunity to showcase Ireland’s achievements in scientific research and have the country be seen worldwide as a centre for scientific development.