SF jobs plan is well worked out and deserves to be taken seriously

SINN FÉIN’S ten-point plan on job creation relies primarily on a €7.6 billion stimulus to the economy over a three-and-a-half period.

Taken over the period, the projections for jobs are probably overly optimistic. However, the predictions for jobs in 2011 based on the investment of €2bn are pretty accurate. Overall, the plan could significantly reduce unemployment in the short term.

The plan makes use of the government spending multipliers as published by the ESRI. The plan envisages the creation of 160,000 jobs directly as a result of the €7.6bn stimulus. This estimate may still be optimistic, but it is likely a stimulus package of this magnitude would create 100,000 jobs.