Limerick agencies set to get EU €20m fund in weeks
LIMERICK's agencies look set to get more than €20m in European crisis funding, a top EU official has revealed.
Vladimir Spidla, the EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities made a whistlestop tour of Limerick on Friday last - and he revealed that around €20m could be made available to the region within weeks.
Commissioner Spidla, who is responsible for administering the European Globalisation Fund - a continent-wide fund reserved for economies where more than 500 jobs have been lost due to a firm moving its operations overseas - met some Dell workers who will lose their jobs, as well as seeing FAS programmes in action.
The grant - which is drawn down through the Irish government to FAS - can be used for a number of different initiatives including job search assistance, the promotion of entrepreneurism and a one-to-one job counselling service.
The Commissioner revealed that Tanaiste Mary Coughlin had submitted an application for some €20m in funding under the scheme - with 65 per cent coming from Brussels and the remainder from the government - with the money to be drawn down in a matter of weeks.
And speaking straight after meeting a delegation of Dell workers who have been made redundant, the Commissioner added: "These people are extremely courageous and brave. It is really important that, as part of this funding, we put a specific focus on training."
The acting chairperson of the Dell Workers Representative Group, Gerry Hinchey called on the European funding to be used for FAS schemes aimed at the 25-40 age group.
"The scheme should be focused on 25-40 people, so they can make a positive contribution to society. When this recession is over, I won't be working. I think the younger people in Dell should be focused on," he said.
During his whistlestop tour of Ireland - which commenced in Dublin last Thursday - Commissioner Spidla also held meetings with the IDA.
Speaking about this, he said: "It was a very useful meeting to get an overall picture of the actions being taken and the consequences of the crisis - what is being done to get people back into work and the programmes and schemes which are operational and the interaction between all the agencies to make things happen here?"
Before his visit to Limerick, Commissioner Spidla's visit attracted controversy after an article in the European Voice newspaper suggested he was coming to "Ireland's crime capital." due to the city's reputation for gangland violence.
But the commissioner concluded: "It's a region which has a future, the people here have a lot of courage, tenacity and energy, and they won't be abandoned: we will do our best to help them out."
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Weather for Limerick
Tuesday 22 May 2012
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 13 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 12 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: South east
