Brendan Howlin: Resources will remain scarce

Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin has warned that Ireland’s resources will remain an issue for some time to come because of the vast scale of our economic collapse.

The warning by the Labour minister comes as debate heightens around the potential for tax cuts and employers face pressure to give workers pay rises.

Mr Howlin pointed out that public service numbers had decreased by 30,000 since 2008 and that pay in that sector had fallen by over €3bn to €14bn by last year.

However, he cautioned that the scale of our recovery meant there was a lot more work to do.

“We have no room for complacency.”

His Cabinet colleague Richard Bruton, the Jobs Minister, told the Dáil yesterday that Ireland was now ranked as one of the best countries to invest in and one of the best to start up a company.

Their comments came as the Coalition pushed aside normal Dáil business this week to discuss its three years in power.

Fianna Fáil jobs spokesman Dara Calleary said some regions were not seeing the kind of recovery in job creation and enterprise policy that Dublin, Galway and Cork were.

“Ultimately, the Government’s best friend in employment creation continues to be emigration. Up to 13,800 fewer people aged between 15 and 34 were employed by the end of 2013 compared to 2012. The number of 15 to 24 year olds in the workforce fell 11,900 in 2013 with a further drop of 24,700 in the 25 to 34 year old cohort,” he said.

“Until the Government faces up to the problem, it will stand by as an entire generation leaves this country and entire communities are denuded.”

Sinn Féin jobs spokesman Peadar Toibin also warned about the focus on foreign companies.

“One of my major gripes is that the indigenous small and medium-sized manufacturing and services sectors which trade internationally have been ignored by the State. So much effort has gone into attracting foreign direct investment, which is important and welcome. However, it cannot be to the cost of indigenous companies.”