Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

Do I understand correctly from the Taoiseach's reply that he was not consulted in advance in regard to the identity of the President of the Council or the high representative and that he only first heard about it before the formal meeting on 19 November commenced? Do I also understand correctly that at least part of the money for the climate fund will come from the existing development aid budget?

I would like to pursue employment matters a little more with the Taoiseach. The Taoiseach referred to 2020 but there are more immediate requirements in terms of people who are losing their jobs. The Taoiseach will recall that President Barosso visited Limerick in September shortly before the referendum on the Lisbon treaty at which time an announcement was made of €22 million being made available, mostly from the EU globalisation fund, for the retraining of former workers at Dell and the associated companies which closed as a consequence of its closure. I visited the mid-west last weekend and met with former Dell workers and some of the representatives of its committee. They told me that the fund has not yet been drawn down and that they do not know where to apply for funding in this regard; that the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment has not put in place the means by which those funds can be drawn down and made available to former Dell workers who have lost their jobs, some of whom may wish to start new businesses or to return to education and training; and that there is a two-year life on this fund dating from the date on which the application was made for it, leaving only 18 months within which this money can be spent. To date, there is not even a post box number to which former Dell workers can make an application for funding from this fund which was announced with such great fanfare in Limerick. I am sure the Minister for Defence, Deputy O'Dea, will recall that announcement. However, nobody knows from where they can obtain this funding.

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