Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 108: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the dates on which his Department will provide the European Commission with its final reports on the European Globalisation Fund programmes for workers in Waterford Crystal and SR Technics; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10161/12]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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The final report and accompanying statement of expenditure in respect of the Waterford Crystal EGF programmme were submitted to the European Commission by the Department on 6 February 2012 as required under the relevant European Commission decision.

The final report and accompanying statement of expenditure in respect of the S R Technics EGF programme are currently being prepared and are required to be submitted to the European Commission by the Department no later than 9 April 2012 as required by the relevant European Commission decision.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 109: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the date on which he will return unspent European Globalisation Fund moneys secured for redundant Dell workers to the European Commission; and the total amount he expects to be returned on that date. [10162/12]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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The European Commission has fowarded the Department its initial caluclations for a reimbursement of 5,978,311.30 Euros in respect of the EU financial contribution of 14,831,050.00 Euros made to the Dell EGF programme.

However, as the EGF case in question has not yet been closed by the European Commission, a debit note from the Commission instructing the Department on when and how to reimburse these monies, including an initial balance of 5,380,480.17 Euros subject to final closure, is currently awaited.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 110: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his understanding of the European Globalisation Fund regulation requirement for EGF funds to compliment actions of member states at national, regional and local level; if it is appropriate to use EGF funds to fund interventions already in existence and accessible to all unemployed workers under the mainstream provision of supports and interventions to the unemployed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10163/12]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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I refer the Deputy to the reply provided to Parliamentary Question Numbers 1030 and 1033 of 11 January 2012.

As I previously stated, there is no definition, either in the EGF Regulations or otherwise, of what constitutes a complementary action in the context of the EGF.

The European Commission has approved all of the measures included in the six Irish applications for EGF co-financing and has to date raised no issue regarding the complementary nature of such measures. A number of other EU member states are understood from European Commission reports not to have implemented any new measures, or simply to have intensified existing measures, in the implementation of EGF programmes.

However, my Department has been very flexible in its interpretation of the term 'complementarity' in its implementation of EGF programmes in Ireland to date.

In all EGF programmes to date, specific tailored interventions have been designed and provided in addition to more mainstream, established interventions. For example, a system of EGF training grants has been operated whereby EGF eligible persons may avail of privately provided training and education opportunities subject to relevant scheme requirements in addition to, or in lieu of, training and education provided through publicly funded training bodies and educational institutions. The provision of extra places in FÁS or VEC training or upskilling programmes is complementary to existing provision, as is the provision of places on other training and education programmes that are relevant to labour market needs and which are recognised through accreditation or other recognition by relevant industry sectors.