Economic Overview June 2016
We have Restored a Strong Economy
Jobs
- 155,000 jobs have been created since the Action Plan for Jobs in 2012.
- Unemployment rate is down to 7.8% from a peak of 15.1% in 2011.
Growth
- The economy is now bigger than the size it was before the crash.
- We are the fastest growing economy in Europe with 7.8% GDP growth in 2015, after 5.2% growth in 2014.
- Domestic demand has returned to growth in 2014 and 2015.
To Support a Fair Society
A Regional Recovery
- Unemployment has decreased in all 8 regions since Action Plan for Jobs.
- We published 8 Regional Jobs Plans as part of a €250m strategy.
- Disposable income (after tax) is increasing in every county (2014 data).
A Fair Recovery
- Exempted 450,000 low income workers from the USC.
- USC & Income tax cuts targeted at low and middle income workers (benefits are capped at €70,000 salary).
- Increased the minimum wage by 20%, from €7.65 to €9.15.
- Core weekly social welfare rates were protected during consolidation.
Public Services
- We commit to an extra €6.75bn current spending on public services, using the proceeds of a strong economy.
- We commit to €4bn extra capital spend, above the €42bn capital plan.
- Employment in the health sector increased by over 8,000 in the last 2 years; with over 80% of this increase in front line activities.
- Over 2,260 new teachers and 600 new Garda recruits in Budget 2016.
Mortgage Arrears
- The number of primary home mortgages in arrears has decreased by nearly 57,000 mortgages or 40% since the peak in June 2013.
Long term arrears (over 2 years) have decreased for the last 3 quarters.
- This is after the Personal Insolvency Bill in Dec 2012, and the Central Bank’s mortgage arrears targets for the main banks in March 2013.
- The no. of mortgages in negative equity has decreased from 315,000 in 2012 to approx. 100,000 now.