Hi °C | Lo °C THE Government is making an offer to employers of a €10,000 subsidy over two years for taking someone off the dole.
The €1-in-every-€4 refund to businesses for hiring a worker more than a year on the dole is the standout element of the Coalition's latest version of its plan for job creation.
Business groups have welcomed the different elements of the plan.
But, Fianna Fail says the plan is more spin than substance.
The detail of the new 'Jobs Plus' scheme was outlined in the Action Plan for Jobs 2013, which was launched by Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore and Jobs Minister Richard Bruton.
Arriving on stage at the event in Realex Payments on Dublin's south quays, Mr Kenny was humming a tune. Throughout the course of the launch, he remained in good humour, fielding questions and throwing back remarks.
The plan is intended to encourage employers to take on extra staff, while also getting the long-term unemployed back to work.
Mr Bruton said the Jobs Plus initiative was to "give a tool to employers to take on extra workers".
He said there was no specific target for the number of jobs to be created from the jobs subsidy plan, but he expected it to be used four times as much as existing schemes.
The subsidy will be paid on a monthly basis over a two-year period.
The business will get €7,500 over the two years for hiring a worker on the dole for more than a year but €10,000 if the worker had been on the dole for more than two years.
Mr Bruton said the Jobs Plus scheme was intended to be "simple, easily understood and attractive".
The Action Plan for Jobs 2013 plan contains 333 actions, including a number of headline items, being described as 'disruptive reforms' or areas where there is great potential. These include:
• The Jobs Plus plan covering up to 25pc of the cost of hiring a worker.
• Educating an additional 2,000 ICT graduates.
• A new energy efficiency fund
• Getting 2,000 more small businesses trading online.
• A new single licensing application system.
• Making Ireland a leading country for Big Data.
• Creating a health innovation hub.
But Fianna Fail jobs spokesman Dara Calleary said the plan was a "smokescreen".
He said it was another lost opportunity that "doesn't do enough to give hope to the 14.6pc of people unemployed".
But business representative bodies were generally positive about the overall plan.
The country's main employers group, IBEC, said the plan contained a range of measures to "help Irish businesses grow and create much-needed employment".
Irish Independent
