Fine Gael Pledge €4bn For Future Jobs Investment Fund

Fine Gael has pledged to bring unemployment to below 7% in every region with a commitment of €4 billion in the Future Jobs Investment Fund.

The committee, part of Fine Gael's election manifesto, was launched by an Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Charlie Flanagan.

Speaking in Eishtec, Co.Waterford, An Taoiseach said: "Fine Gael is already implementing eight regional Action Plans for Jobs up to 2018, and has allocated €250m to help spread growth to all areas. To ensure that no region is left behind, we are now committing significant funds from our €4 billion Future Jobs Investment Fund. We will develop new Regional Action Plans for Jobs for the period after 2018, to build stronger regions and drive job creation. Specific additional measures to achieve this will include:

• We will commit an extra €10 million for Ireland's regional airports to guarantee their future.

• We will establish a new Atlantic Economic Corridor along the west coast, with strong transport and enterprise links.

• We will invest in new Technological Universities, and other educational initiatives.

• We will make additional resources available through IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and Science Foundation Ireland to promote greater clustering in key industry sectors such as tech, biotech, renewable energy and medtech, e.g., the National Health Innovation Hub based in Cork.

Minister Bruton added: "Competitive regions and job creation are at the heart of our Long Term Economic Plan. As a small, open economy, we're not going to create regional jobs by building houses and selling them to each other. We have to make things that others want to buy. To do that, we need to be competitive.

"The regional airports – Donegal Airport, Ireland West Airport Knock (IWAK), Waterford Airport and Kerry Airport – are vital for regional job creation and Fine Gael's plan will guarantee their future."

(MH/LM)