A blueprint aiming to show how 80,000 new jobs could be created in the emerging green economic sector was published today.
The new report urges speedy and effective action from Government, if Ireland is to secure a competitive advantage over other nations. It says that the sector has the potential to create 80,000 jobs as part of the Government's strategy for the country's economic renewal
The new document from the group on Green Enterprise Opportunities - which involved business, state agencies, and civil servants - aims to realise how Ireland can dramatically increase that figure.
The report recommends focusing on establishing hightech companies in the areas of energy efficiency, renewable energies, green finance and water.
It also calls for the lifting of any barriers that hinder the quick of establishment of such companies, and demands that the Government supports the sector through its purchasing policies.
The latest estimates put the size of the global environmental goods and services market as exceeding $700 billion by 2010. The value of this sector for Ireland is growing and estimated to be more than €2.8 billion in 2008.
The Green Economy is developing in Ireland and will continue to with the help of this report", said Energy Minister Eamon Ryan at the launch of the Green Economy report in Government Buildings.
With the Taoiseach and Tánaiste Minister Eamon Ryan outlined the programme of transformation that began when the Green Party entered Government in 2007 and spelled out the priorities of the coming years on the basis of the new report.
Meanwhile, Energy Minister Eamon Ryan said that over 15,400 jobs have been announced in the green economy sector in the last few years. 'If this was a single factory, we would all still be speaking of it,' he stated.
He said that the semi state energy companies in Ireland have gone green with investment plans of over €30 billion over the next decade.
The Minister said the national insulation scheme, which is reducing energy costs for over 30,000 homes insulated this year alone, will support thousands of workers throughout Ireland.
