The government has unveiled 333 measures they hope will help create tens of thousands of jobs.
Under the Action Plan for Jobs 2013 employers will be paid 25% of the cost of a worker for 2 year if they recruit a long-term unemployed person.
6 other high-impact measures are also included - ranging from an energy efficiency fund to a trading online scheme.
Under the plan the IDA has been ordered to secure 130 investment, creating 13,000 jobs this year.
The coalition hopes to create 100,000 jobs by 2016, with last year seeing a net 12,000 jobs created.
The Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation says these measures are additional to the 249 actions already implemented under the Action Plan.
The 7 headline "Disruptive Reform" measures are:
- JobsPlus: over two years the State will pay €1 of every €4 it costs an employer to recruit a long-term unemployed person off the Live Register
- ICT Skills: provide an additional 2,000 ICT graduate level professionals in 2013, and by 2018 lead Europe in terms of ICT graduates as a percentage of all third level graduates
- Energy Efficiency: the Government will create a €70 million Energy Efficiency Fund to support 20 major projects in 2013 and ultimately create 5,000 jobs
- Trading Online: get 2,000 more small businesses trading online in 2013 and 2014, with the creation of 3,200 jobs
- Business Licences: create a single licensing application system for up to 25 licences in the retail sector, saving retailers over €20 million per annum
- Big Data: make Ireland one of the leading countries in Europe for Big Data, a sector growing by up to 40% per annum
- Health Innovation Hub: Government will establish a world-renowned centre to establish Ireland as a leading location for start-up and growing medtech and healthcare companies
Jobs Minister Richard Bruton has said "In this year’s plan we are building on (last year's) achievements and raising our ambitions".
"333 new actions to support business, reduce costs, improve access to finance and target growth sectors will be delivered this year by 16 Departments and 46 Agencies".
"More importantly, we will also implement seven Disruptive Reforms, in areas which can have an immediate impact such as ICT skills and retail, to challenge the system and deliver ambitious change to support job-creation" he added.
Welcoming the Plan, Finance Minister Michael Noonan said "SME’s will be a key driver of growth and job creation across the country and access to credit and financing is essential for them to trade, to grow and to create jobs".
"Through intensive engagement with SMEs and the banks we have identified a range of measures that tackle the challenges related to SME credit" he added.
By end 2013, new jovernment schemes totalling almost €2.5 billion in new lending to business will be in place:
- €850 million of the National Pension Reserve Fund for the SME sector
- €700 million seed and venture capital scheme
- €450 million credit guarantee scheme
- €225 million development capital scheme
- €120 million second call under Innovation Fund Ireland
- €90 million microfinance scheme
Speaking this morning, Taoiseach Enda Kenny says all this is part of a bigger picture for the economy.
However Dara Calleary - Fianna Fail Spokesperson on Jobs - says the plan falls far short of what was promised.
