IMPLEMENTING CHANGE: A NEW LOCAL AGENDA FOR

JOBS AND GROWTH In co-operation with the EU Presidency, Irish Government and Pobal

26-27 March 2013, Dublin-Kilkenny, Ireland

9th Annual Meeting

PLENARY SESSION I: A NEW LOCAL AGENDA FOR JOBS AND GROWTH

John SweeneySenior Policy Analyst, National Economic & Social Council, Ireland

The crisis and its impacts

2

Employment Rate in Ireland – 1998 - 2012

52.0

54.0

56.0

58.0

60.0

62.0

64.0

66.0

68.0

70.0

72.0

Q1

98Q

3 98

Q1

99Q

3 99

Q1

00Q

3 00

Q1

01Q

3 01

Q1

02Q

3 02

Q1

03Q

3 03

Q1

04Q

3 04

Q1

05Q

3 05

Q1

06Q

3 06

Q1

07Q

3 07

Q1

08Q

3 08

Q1

09Q

3 09

Q1

10Q

3 10

Q1

11Q

3 11

Q1

12Q

3 12

Figure 2: Employment Rates 1998-2012

Response to the crisis

• Significant institutional reforms are underway:

1. Three services - job-matching and job-placement, the administration of benefit, and the design and supervision of active labour market programmes (ALMPS) – are being rolled into one (INTREO)

2. Reforms are also taking place to alter the institutional framework for vocational education and training (SOLAS and ETBs)

3. Regional and local government structures are being redrawn, and greater functions are being devolved to municipal government

3

Results for Ireland

4

• Local responses primarily about 'drawing down' national measures

• Capacity strained by recession and reforms

• Forums for bringing stakeholders in local economic development together are weak, silos remai

• Data on local labour markets is improving

Theme 1: Better aligning policies and programmes to local economic development

• Training for a broad range of sectors widely available, and delivery methods diverse

• Some successful work with employers in raising skills (i.e. Skillsnet)

• Uneven access to quality career guidance

• Strong awareness of need to attract and retain talent, but primarily in the context of internationally trading enterprises

Theme 2: Adding value through skills

• Skill needs of local sectors are less systematically monitored and VET responses are more ad-hoc

• Skills utilisation efforts are small scale

• Significant emphasis on skills for entrepreneurship

• The job quality of inward investment is high. Quality of life is widely acknowledged as a major economic asset at the regional/local level

Theme 3: Targeting policy to local employment sectors and investing in quality jobs

• A broad range of employment supports and training programmes target 'at risk' groups

• The cost of child and elderly care remains high

• Major concerns with youth unemployment have not translated into a national/local youth strategies

• Immigration on a large scale absorbed well into labour market – policy and civil society have responded

Theme 4: Inclusion