The Taoiseach said he believes the trend of emigration from Ireland will finish by the end of 2016.
Enda Kenny said the latest Action Plan for Jobs aims to see more people returning to Ireland than leaving it.
He said if that target is reached, the net flow of young people out of Ireland can stop entirely next year.
"What I'd like to see - and what I'd estimate - is that by the end of 2016, there'll actually be more Irish people returning to work in Ireland than are leaving," he said.
"I think that's a very important part of our psychology as a country - that more Irish people can come back and have the opportunity to work in their own country."
The latest plan, which contains over 380 tasks for the government, aims to create 40,000 jobs this year.