Sinn Féin spokesperson on Enterprise, Trade and Employment Louise O’Reilly TD has welcomed Enterprise Ireland’s new strategy Leading in a changing world and called on the agency to help small and medium enterprises, as well as microbusinesses, to seize new opportunities in high wage, high growth and high productivity sectors.

Teachta O’Reilly said:

“Enterprise Ireland must be congratulated for the Trojan work they have done throughout the pandemic. Despite the impact of Covid-19, the number of staff employed by Enterprise Ireland-supported companies rose by 11,911 last year.

“The agency’s newly announced three-year strategy is also to be welcomed, but it is essential that the strategy delivers on quality of jobs in equal measure to quantity of jobs.

“Good jobs in high wage, high growth and high productivity sectors are the future for economies that seek to be robust, sustainable and successful.

“Enterprise Ireland’s strategy is about seizing on opportunities as well as helping with the economic recovery from the pandemic.

“As a state we have a choice to make as we recover, and rebuild, from the damage caused by the pandemic. Do we want more of the same; low paid and insecure work, or do we want to build sustainable, decent jobs that will ensure that workers have a viable, secure future.

“In working with Enterprise Ireland, the state has the opportunity to intervene and facilitate the creation of decent and sustainable work.

“We need to learn the lessons of the pandemic in relation to the dangers of low pay and precarious work. We cannot build our economy on the back of low pay, bogus self-employment, and insecure jobs. Neither the state nor workers win from a race to the bottom.

“In this regard, both the state and Enterprise Ireland must help small and medium enterprises, as well as microbusinesses, seize new opportunities in high wage, high growth and high productivity sectors, producing good jobs with decent pay and conditions.”