Main points of the Government's jobs initiative
* Temporary levy of 0.6% on funded pension schemes and personal pension plans
* Introduction of a temporary reduced rate of VAT of 9 per cent, from 13.5%, to support the tourism industry
* Halving lower rate of PRSI until end-2013 on jobs paying up to €356 per week
* Abolition of the €3 per passenger travel tax as part of a deal with airlines to restore lost routes
* Temporary visa waiver scheme for short-stay visitors of 14 nationalities
* A national internship scheme operating for two years with 5,000 places
* Additional 3,000 places in back to education initiative
* Additional 20,900 places for training, education and upskilling
* €10 million to be provided for school works, in addition to €20 million reallocated from existing budget
* €75 million reallocated for transport projects aimed at creating at least 1,000 new jobs
* €15 million for improvements to rail stations, pedestrian crossings, footpaths, bus networks, and cycle ways