Council unveils six-point plan to tackle jobs crisis

A new jobs plan which is "strategic, focused and ready to implement", aimed at creating and protecting jobs in Meath, is to be unveiled by Meath County Council within weeks. The plan, matched by a six-figure fund and containing a range of initiatives and reforms to stimulate and support economic activity in the county, was announced this week. Further details will be revealed in July but Meath County Manager Tom Dowling said it aimed to have a "direct beneficial effect in the shortest timeframe". He said that the development of a six-point jobs plan had been targeted by the council as a priority issue over recent months and that significant progress had been made, with an indicative date for publication next month. The six key areas identified by the council are: • small to medium term enterprises • the retail sector • tourism and agri-food • foreign direct investment • promoting Meath and working with others, and • financial supports provided directly and supported by Meath County Council. These key areas are those which the council believes offer the greatest potential for immediate job creation, allowing the council to utilise its resources to stimulate economic growth and enable it to provide supports and "a helping hand" to businesses which might be struggling, he said. He said the council was confident its plan could complement and build upon the government's own recent Jobs Budget to create jobs on the ground in Meath. "The council must take the lead role as the strategic authority within the county to drive Meath's economic growth," Mr Dowling said. He committed the council to implementing the plan's initiatives in as short a timeframe as possible to ensure that it would have a direct and immediate impact in the county. He told councillors on Monday: "We are all aware rthat Ireland is experiencing one of the worst economic downturns in its history. Meath as a county, its people and its economic and social activity is suffering during this recession. Unemployment, business failures, emigration, financial debts and their knock-on social effects are impacting on the county." He acknowledged that the government was attempting to tackle the economic downturn by taking measures to stimulate the life of the country and return Ireland to a position of economic growth and job creation and said there would be many national measures to stimulate the economy. However, Meath could not simply wait and hope that measures at national level would trickle down to the county and drive economic growth here, he said. "Indeed, as the councillors in this chamber are aware, we have never waited and cannot wait. If the council were to adopt a waiting approach, we would be failing in our duty and responsibility to the people of Meath. I believe that responsibility, and indeed the challenge we face, is to maximise the benefit from the stimulus coming from government by bridging the gap between what happens at national level and how it translates at local level," the manager said. The council would have to take the lead role in driving Meath's economic growth. "For example," said Mr Dowling, "while the recent reduction in the level of VAT on entertainment and social events from 13.5 per cent to nine per cent is very welcome, if people remain reluctant to spend monies on such activities within Meath, then the value of this reduction will be lost to the county." He said the council must respond to this VAT reduction by putting in place measures at a local level which will encourage and facilitate people to socialise, eat out, attend sporting events and spend money within the county. County council cathaoilreach, Cllr Ann Dillon Gallagher, said that while finances were more constrained than ever, it did not and should not mean that the council could not come forward with concrete proposals to drive economic activity in the county. Director of services Kevin Stewart, in a presentation to councillors, said he was keen to get their input in advance of finalising the plan. He also outlined how the council was aiming to "galvanise and mobilise experts, young people and prominent Meath people" to be part of the six-point plan. "People in the county need actions now, so we are aiming to get the balance right between short-term measures that can deliver quick results and more medium-term proposals are important for the future," he said.