ALMOST 55,000 people took part in community employment schemes last funds year, supported by EU funds. A further 19,000 unemployed people trained for industry under the Community Support Framework (CSF).

According to the CSF monitoring committee, which oversees how Ireland uses the funds, more than 2,500 companies benefited from the FAS training support scheme. It also said over 27,000 students took part in 300 courses in II Regional Technical Colleges.

The CSF also said postal costs have fallen from 113 per cent of the EU average in 1993, to 98 per cent last year. "The differences between Irish and average EU postal charges have been eliminated."

The EU is contributing £4.45 billion through the CSF to Ireland between 1994 and 1999. Last year, expenditure under the CSF was about £1.27 billion. Of this, some £660 million represented EU contributions.