This budget includes a series of stimulus measures which will create badly needed jobs in the construction sector, as well as 10,000 much-needed new places on Employment Programmes.

This budget sees €17bn committed to pay for big infrastructure projects – the development of DIT at Grangegorman and the Luas extension, as well as the future development of the National Children’s Hospital at St. James’s. Retro-fitting measures – €9 million to improve energy efficiency in public buildings and an Energy Efficiency Fund worth up to €70 million – developed by Minister Pat Rabbitte will create further jobs for unemployed construction workers.

Minister Joan Burton’s commitment to create 10,000 new places on employment schemes will deliver for individuals, and for communities struggling with high unemployment. New places on Community Employment, JobBridge and a new Social Employment Scheme run by local authorities will help thousands of unemployed people develop the skills they need to secure full-time employment.