Some €55 million in combined EU and exchequer funding, is now likely to be made available to 6,000 Irish construction workers, Irish MEPs have said.
It followed today’s proposal by the European Commission that €35.7 million from the European Globalisation adjustment Fund (EGF) should be provided to help 5,987 redundant Irish construction workers. A further €19 million is to be provided through the Irish exchequer.
The funding, which is dependent on the approval of the European Parliament, can be drawn down to assist with education and retraining.
MEPs and bodies including the Construction Industry Federation and the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland yesterday welcomed the announcement.
However, Ireland East MEP Nessa Childers sounded a note of caution, urging Irish authorities to “organise, act on and implement” the fund.
This follows criticisms of how State authorities dealt with funding provided to former Dell workers in Limerick.
Ms Childers said that “when it comes to the EGF, the most important thing to remember is that the difficulty isn't in obtaining the funding, it's in spending it”.
“If previous agreements are anything to go by, the 5,987 construction workers will have two years to spend the €35.7 million on offer once it has been ultimately approved by the European Parliament and Council.
Dublin MEP Proinsias De Rossa said the funding would provide for training, education and the establishment of enterprises by thousands of former construction workers from over 3,000 small and medium sized construction companies.
“Government departments and other public agencies involved in this allocation must engage directly with these workers and their representatives to ensure their real needs are met,” he said.
North and West MEPs Pat the Cope Gallagher, Marian Harkin and Jim Higgins also welcomed the announcement, and said they were confident that the necessary approval by the European Parliament the EU's Council of Ministers would be granted.
Measures allowed under the fund include training programmes and allowances, second and third level education programmes and other supports.
Over 2,000 redundant apprentices will be offered alternating temporary employment and college education to enable them to finish their apprenticeships and gain qualifications.
The commission received applications on behalf of a total of over 9,000 people made redundant from 3,348 small and medium Irish enterprises.
Of this number the commission identified almost 6,000 for funding on the basis that they would have the greatest difficulties of reintegration into the labour market.