Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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298. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will address the concerns of former employees of a company (details supplied) in County Limerick arising from the non-provision of IT support form the European Globalisation Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29874/14]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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An application for EU co-funding under the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) in support of 171 workers made redundant at the Andersen Ireland jewellery manufacturing plant in Rathkeale, Co. Limerick and for up to a similar number of targeted young persons under 25 years of age not in employment, education or training, was made by my Department to the European Commission on 16 May 2014.

Approval of this application under the co-decision procedure by the institutions of the EU may take some considerable time. In the interim, and in anticipation of EU approval in due course of the Irish application, relevant supports are being provided by a range of local service providers in the areas of guidance, training education and enterprise supports. These supports are being funded solely from national sources currently. All supports are being co-ordinated at local leve by the SOLAS EGF Coordination Unit which will shortly open aoffice in Rathkeale and which is currently operating from Raheen, Co. Limerick.

The EGF Managing Authority in the Department and the EGF Coordination Unit has had a number of meetings and contacts to date with the redundant workers and their representatives to discuss the EGF application and supports available and an Open Day was held in Rathkeale on 9 June which I attended. A consultative forum is also being established to provide the workers with the opportunity to raise any issues and to input into the programme as it proceeds.

The requirements around access to and provision of necessary equipment and materials for those eligible persons on, or taking up, relevant training and education courses are currently being finalised by the EGF Coordination Unit. I understand that a meeting is taking place today between the Unit and worker representatives to address some concerns such as IT support that have arisen in this context. The meeting is to ensure that account is duly taken both of the needs of the cohort and of the requirement to ensure the transparency and accountability of public funding.