Getting Ireland Working Again

10th March, 2011

Getting Ireland Working Again

The creation and retention of jobs is vital to rebuilding our society and economy. Richard Bruton TD will be the Minister responsible for putting in place the strategies to get Ireland back to work. Our plans include:

• Providing resources for an additional 15,000 places in training, work experience and educational opportunities for those who are out of work;

• Cutting the 13.5% rate of VAT to 12% up to end 2013;

• Halving the lower 8.5% rate of PRSI up to end 2013 on jobs paying up to €356 per week;

• Reversing the cut in the minimum wage;

• Abolishing the Travel Tax as part of a deal with airlines to restore lost routes;

• Implementing a number of sectoral initiatives in areas that will create employment in the domestic economy;

• Initiating a long-term strategy to develop new markets in emerging economies;

• Securing additional resources for the national housing energy retrofitting plan, as part of plans to phase out subsidies in this area by 2014;

• Expanding eligibility for the back to education allowance;

• Accelerating capital works that are ‘shovel ready’ and labour intensive including schools and secondary roads.