Launching 10 proposals for local jobs regeneration in this region this week, Enda Kenny said each proposal is underpinned by Fine Gael’s conviction that the border region’s crisis can only be solved by consolidating existing jobs and developing the region’s potential The 10 proposals put forward by the Fine Gael Border Forum are in response to the border region’s job crisis. All of these proposals must be delivered within the context of the €3bn of cuts to stabilise the deficit in 2011 and our commitment to reduce government borrowing to below 3% GDP by 2014.

Below is a synopsis of the Fine Gael proposals:

1 – DEFINING THE CROSS BORDER REGION: Both administrations should agree on a defined cross border area and then facilitate the development of an integrated plan for regional development.

2 – MULTI AGENCY TASK FORCE: A Multi Agency Task Force for the region must

•           Be given a clear concise brief and targets

•           Receive clear and targeted objectives and,

•           Produce an interim report within five months and a final report within 12 months

3 - FUNDING INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT: Infrastructural development is a continuing requirement in the region and innovative funding processes and structures should be developed to seek to fund development.

4 – STATE ENTERPRISE AGENCIES: This State’s enterprise agencies and Northern Ireland’s enterprise agencies should cooperate to attract Foreign Direct Investment to the border region. All State enterprise agencies operating at regional, town and county level should devise a proactive review programme for individual companies to support job retention. County Enterprise Boards should support border entrepreneurship. Courses should be provided on business creation, market assessment, financing and personal profiling.

5 – SUPPORTING SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES:  The commitment to 25% red tape reduction by government must be honoured. The government must act immediately to set this process in train. All government charges that apply to business and local authority rates must be frozen for five years. Reverse the cutbacks in funding for Skillnets companies.

6 – TRANSPORT NETWORK DEVELOPMENT:  The suspension of the capital expenditure on the roads network announced must be reversed.  The development of the national rail network should be examined.

7 – AGRI FOOD: There must be a consistent and harmonised approach to animal health and welfare across Ireland as well as the implementation of fair trade legislation to ensure fair prices for produce. The food labelling regime must be overhauled to promote transparency.

8 – TOURISM: Tourism must be recognised as a key provider of local economic development. New and existing tourism packages in key sectors of the market must be further developed, such as language, tourism and a nine-county tourism package. The introduction of a bilateral agreement on an Irish/British holiday visa must be actively pursued. Fine Gael will fight to protect the family farm structure under the future Common Agricultural Policy and will campaign for a single farm payment structure targeted at active producers.

9 – CAREER DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT: FÁS should provide structured career counselling in targeted economic black spots, which should include: Skills assessment and aptitude profiling. Linking individual skills gaps with identification of skills and education opportunities – both part-time and full-time. Given the scale and intensity of the job losses, to run out of course or additional programmes as necessary and to offer new courses as required. Any time issues which act as a barrier to retraining or to education participation should be lowered so that newly redundant employees can immediately participate.

10 – COMMUNICATIONS AND ENERGY: A full review will be undertaken of the availability and development potential of broadband infrastructure and plans developed to utilise State owned companies’ investment in Broadband. The Government must collaborate with providers to build interconnectors between existing proprietary networks and new ‘open access’ platforms.

This region’s proximity to the Moyle Interconnector and the planned East/West Interconnector should be used to develop an export-driven energy production industry.

So what do you, the reader, think of those proposals, do you think they will work...e-mail us now on monaghanlifenews@gmail.com. We value your views...email us now!

Pictured L-R are Enda Kenny, Deputy Seymour Crawford and Councillor Sean McKiernan in Cavan this week.