There is an urgent need for Government to identify and support sectors that have the potential for job creation and growth. This is a according to a specialist Employment Working Group, co-ordinated by The European Anti-Poverty Network Ireland (EAPN).

A position paper from the Working Group, entitled 'Tackling the Economic and Social Crisis', makes a series of proposals to stimulate employment and stem the flow of job losses across the country. These include combining credit and employment supports to SMEs, expanding creative training initiatives, boosting the social economy and a call to realise the stimulus potential of semi-state companies.

According to Philip O'Connor, Chairperson of EAPN Ireland, "an integrated and energetic strategy for creating and sustaining jobs is required immediately. The measures outlined in the Working Group Position Paper can be implemented quickly and cost-effectively and will send a message that the Government is serious about creating and protecting jobs".

The position focuses on five areas; creating jobs, sustaining jobs, providing training and education programmes, reforming the tax system and protecting social welfare, and ensuring employment rights and equality.

The Working Group identifies considerable potential for job growth in areas like the social infrastructure and childcare, 'green' jobs and the food industry. The Position Paper also strongly urges the Government to ensure that responses to the ongoing banking crisis emphasise the provision of credit and employment supports to small and medium enterprises.

According to Philip O'Connor, "strategies that support struggling businesses should be absolutely central to the recapitalisation scheme, and must be tied to maintaining and generating employment. The potential of the semi-state sector to act as a growth stimulus must also be taken on board. "

Other recommendations from the group include:

• The Government's pilot 'Short time Working Training Programme' should be urgently rolled out right across the country beyond the existing 277 places.
• The Government needs to implement immediately the recommendations on improving the skills of vulnerable individuals and sectors, set out in the Government's National Skills Strategy
• Training and education programmes should integrate labour market experience, such as the traineeship model, based on international best practice
• A broader tax base, including taxes on wealth and property is required to secure a more stable and equitable income stream for the state. Income should not rely on volatile expenditure taxes and should not over-burden employment
• Reform the social welfare system so that it includes integrated training and education responses to labour market activation and eliminates poverty traps

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