Employment incentive scheme
Denis Naughten asks when the EU-dependent employment incentive scheme for small and medium businesses will commence; the Tánaiste undertakes to seek a reply from the Minister for Finance.
I refer to secondary legislation. As we know, the small and medium size industries in the country employ one in every two people in the economy. Last December, the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, announced a ten-point plan specifically targeted at the sector. One of the initiatives was the employment incentive scheme to get cash into businesses that create jobs but it requires EU Commission approval. The Commission has been very quick to tell us where we should make cuts, but it seems to have been very slow in approving an initiative to create jobs. When will we see the commencement order for section 22 of the Finance Act 2013, which will get capital into businesses that create jobs? What is the EU playing at with the delays in the approval of this particular proposal?
