There will be 25,000 new jobs created over the next four years according to a proposed new employment plan for the West of Ireland. The new jobs which will be created in Galway, Mayo and Roscommon are part of a new €250 million regional jobs strategy.
The West Action Plan For Jobs was announced by the Minister for Jobs, Innovation and Enterprise, Richard Bruton who said: “Jobs are growing right across the country, but they are growing faster in some regions than in others.”
“That is why we have put in place the €250 million regional jobs strategy, to support regions to play to their strengths and accelerate jobs growth in every area.”
The new jobs will effectively replace the near 30,000 jobs lost in the three counties during the height of the recession in 2008-2011. The West of Ireland was one of the hardest hit regions of the post Celtic tiger crash with many young people leaving to find work abroad as a result of severely limited job opportunities.
Minister Bruton addressed this by stating: “The West is a region which has faced major problems over recent years. Between 2008 and 2011, 27,400 jobs were lost in the region, almost 60% of these in the construction sector alone. Emigration skyrocketed.”
“However in recent years the region has bounced back, with 5,000 jobs created in the past year, and jobs growing in exporting companies supported by my Department in particular.”
“This has been achieved mainly by the ingenuity, hard work and collaboration of workers and businesses in the region.”
The plan is the fifth of eight regional jobs plans to be published in the strategy. The newly created jobs will be mainly concentrated towards the Agriculture, Food, ICT, Medtech and Pharma sectors.
The plan is aiming to increase both the number of start-ups and the new business survival rate by 25%.
Speaking on his return to his hometown of Castlebar, Mayo, Taoiseach Enda Kenny stated: “I am determined to ensure that every region can achieve its economic potential and that the benefits of the recovery are felt in every region, county and community in the country.”
“Creating local jobs across different sectors and maximising local strengths will require a coordinated effort from all local stakeholders. Government will work with many sectors of society.”
“Everyone has to pull together – no single agency can create jobs or bring jobs to the region on its own.”
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