Following several difficult years since the crash, employment in Dublin has returned to growth, with over 64,000 extra people at work in the region since the launch of Action Plan for Jobs in 2012, the Government said in a press statement. During the years 2008-2011, 90,000 jobs were lost in Dublin.

Key sectors targeted as part of the plan include areas like technology, financial services, life sciences, manufacturing, tourism and retail as well as “smart cities” and the creative industries. It will also help ensure that we remain to the forefront as these sectors evolve and as new business models come into being, such as fintech, big data and software as a service.

The launch took place in Butler’s Chocolate Factory in Clonshaugh, an example of the type of innovative Irish manufacturing and food companies which Dublin is producing. Among the 90 actions in the plan to be delivered over the period 2016-2018 include:

• Start-ups – We will increase the number of businesses starting and surviving by 25%, and deliver a 30% increase in Irish companies growing to scale, by measures including establishing StartUpSpaceDublin to increase the networking and co-working space for entrepreneurs across the city, measures to promote Dublin as a location for mobile start-ups, measures to increase the availability of mentoring
• Foreign investment – IDA Ireland will deliver 430 additional investments in the years to 2019
• Skills – we will double the spend in upskilling by businesses in Dublin, establish a Regional Skills Forum in Dublin, establish a new Technological University in Dublin
• Innovation – 20% increase in spend on R&D by foreign companies, and 20% more Irish companies active in RD&I, 33% more collaborations between business and research/tech centres
• Dublin "the Ideas Capital" – we will make Dublin an exemplar of a "smart city" internationally, testbedding new technologies which use big data and the internet of things to improve city life. The Smart Dublin Project Team, involving the four Local Authorities will progress a range of initiatives in this area, including rolling out "smart districts", a Dublin Internet of Things Demonstrator project and a Street of the Future project
• Tourism – Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland are targeting up to a 7% annual increase in visitor numbers to hit 6.2million visitors and €2.5billion spend by 2020
• Creative – expand the audio-visual sector in Dublin, both as a production location and a pool for talent and enterprise
• Great place to live and work – we will identify and improve the key indicators which can increase Dublin’s position in high-profile international rankings, we will develop and promote Dublin as a ’city of villages’, with a variety of locations with their unique sense of place , and develop a new integrated settlement and transport strategy as part of the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy
• Implementation – a comprehensive implementation structure is being established to ensure delivery of the plan

The levels of employment growth actually achieved will depend on factors including the level of support and collaboration within the local community for the Plan, and the level of collaboration between organisations in the region and the main Government bodies involved in the plan. Minister Bruton believes that based on all the evidence and the strong buy-in for the process up to this point it is realistic to target 66,000 additional jobs in the region by 2020.

The Tánaiste, Joan Burton TD said: “As our capital city, Dublin has a key role to play in driving Ireland’s economic growth. It has a dynamic energy and diversity that has enabled it to punch above its weight in an international context. Yet we know that the region faces its own challenges. So it’s essential that we respond to those challenges in a way that continues to drive up employment and opportunities across the Dublin region—and that’s precisely what this Plan will do.

Minister Bruton said: “Jobs are growing right across the country, but they are growing faster in some regions than in others. That is why we have put in place the €250million regional jobs strategy, to support regions to play to their strengths and accelerate jobs growth in every area.

“Dublin as the capital city and only city over 1 million population is a real driver of economic growth for Ireland. Getting the jobs market right in Dublin is crucial to our overall economic health as a country. The city suffered badly during the crash, with 90,000 jobs lost, but we have made up major ground since we launched our Action Plan for Jobs, with 64,000 extra jobs created and around half of that growth coming in the exporting companies which my Department supports.

“This growth won’t automatically continue, and with the wrong policies we could easily slip backwards. That is why we are putting in place this plan—to make the changes to support start-ups, increase multinational investment, target growing sectors of the future and promote Dublin internationally and ultimately create the jobs that we need.

“I am convinced that with the right support from Government through the Dublin Plan, we can keep the recovery going and create jobs right across the capital. In this way we can deliver 66,000 extra jobs over the coming years which will allow us to surpass the peak levels of employment seen during the boom, but this time on a sustainable basis—putting money back into communities and lives back on track right across the city".

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Paschal Donohoe TD said: “Since the launch of the Action plan for Jobs in February 2012 we have seen the creation of 135,000 new jobs. This did not happen by accident. Through the implementation of the right policies and by targeting the sectors with the greatest potential for growth we have turned the ship around. Our economy is still fragile but through the hard work of Government and the sacrifices of the Irish people we now have a tailwind at our backs.

“To ensure that we continue along the path of sustainable and secure employment we must retain a focus on what is right for our economy and society. By supporting SMEs, continuing to attract FDI and providing assistance to start-ups to ensure they go the distance, we will see our recovery bed down and will be able to provide the services we need, on the back of a strong economy. These focused Action Plans are designed to identify the needs of each region across the country. There has been a drop of 26% in the Live Register figures in Dublin since 2012, but still too many people are unemployed. Through the policies set-out in the Dublin Action Plan for Jobs, which targets the creation of 66,000 additional new jobs, we will continue to get more people back to work, allowing for a better standard of living and a future that is more secure.”

The Dublin Action Plan for Jobs is available at www.djei.ie/Djei/en/Publications/APJ-Dublin-2016-2018.html

Employment in companies in Dublin supported by Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland has increased by over 32,600 in the period 2011-2015. This is compared to almost 10,000 job losses in the period 2008-2010. The Dublin Action Plan for Jobs will seek to build on the progress that has been made.

Following the successful national Action Plan for Jobs model which has supported the creation of 100,000 additional jobs 21 months ahead of deadline, and in order to ensure that the Plan is delivered, a comprehensive implementation structure is being put in place. Deadlines and lead organisations are assigned in the case of each action, a “Dublin Strategy Regional Implementation Committee" is being put in place, chaired by an industry figure, to drive implementation of this plan and identify new actions to be added over the lifetime of the plan. Progress Reports on implementation levels will be published every six months.