A HIGH-level group to advise on how to expand jobs and income in the €2.8 billion a year “green economy” was announced yesterday. The new High-Level Action Group on Green Enterprise has been given four months to report to Government on how to capitalise on the sector.
Launching the group, Minister for Energy Eamon Ryan and Tánaiste Mary Coughlan said the aim was to reposition Government economic strategy to attract green foreign investment in the environmental goods and services sector. The sector was expected to be worth €950 billion globally by next year.
The Tánaiste said she believed the link between the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with its job-creation agencies and the Department of Energy “provides Ireland with a tremendous opportunity to create quality jobs in a sustainable and high-growth sector”.
She recalled last week she had announced 180 jobs in Claremorris, Co Mayo “in a next-generation bio-processing research, innovation and manufacturing centre which involves a €40 million investment, with the potential to grow to 300 jobs within three years”.
“More recently I unveiled details of a number of new wide-ranging Fás courses for the construction sector focused on the new wave of green and clean-tech opportunities coming on stream nationally,” she said.
Mr Ryan said: “Ireland has huge potential in the area of our natural resources and the generation of real wealth and jobs. This group will be tasked with mobilising our talents across the public and private sector to position Ireland at the forefront of the new global green economy.”
The taskforce is to be chaired by businessman and engineer Joe Harford. Mr Harford is a member of Ibec’s national council, director of Fingal County Enterprise Board, Sustainable Energy Ireland and chair of Enterprise Ireland’s National Functional Food Forum.
