andMr. McQuillan asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether it is a fact that under the Treaty of Rome assistance in the form of resettlement allowances will be paid to workers only on condition that they have been obliged to change their residence, under Article 125; and, if so, if he is satisfied that it is in the interests of the Irish people that resettlement assistance allowances be granted only in such instances.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - EEC: Resettlement Allowances.
69.
With your permission, Sir, I propose to take Questions Nos. 67 and 69 together.
Article 125 of the Treaty of Rome provides—subject to specified conditions—that a Member State shall be reimbursed, from the European Social Fund, 50 per cent. of the expenditure incurred for the purpose of:
(a) ensuring productive re-employment of workers by means of:
—occupational retraining,
—resettlement allowances;
(b) granting aid to workers whose employment is reduced or temporarily suspended, whether wholly or partly as a result of the conversion of a concern to other production, in order that they may maintain the same wagelevel pending their full re-employment.
Resettlement allowances would naturally be payable only where resettlement is necessary.
As has already been announced, an inter-Departmental Committee is studying the provisions of the Treaty of Rome and the various Community regulations relating to the European Social Fund, with a view to drawing up a scheme which would qualify for assistance from the Fund. The Committee is examining the schemes of retraining and resettlement of the member countries of the Community and is keeping in close touch with such bodies as the Industrial Development Authority, the Committee on Industrial Organisation, the Apprenticeship Board, etc., as regards employment and redundancy forecasts. When the necessary background information has been assembled, the Committee will discuss with representatives of trade unions and industry what form of scheme is most suitable to conditions in this country.
On the question of redundancy, the Government have given an undertaking to industrialists that they can expect compensation for whatever changes are made now in anticipation of going into the Common Market. Is it possible for the Government to give some similar undertaking to workers who may be made redundant by any such changes that they will become eligible for any benefits which may arise out of any decisions being taken by the inter-Departmental Committee?
The purpose of the adaptation assistance given by the Government is to avoid redundancy, in so far as it is possible. If redundancy occurs, we shall see what we can do to combat it within the ambit of the Social Fund.
Can the Minister not give to any workers who may be made redundant the same undertaking as he has given, blind as he is, to industrialists in similar circumstances?
I have given no undertaking to industrialists about redundancy.
No—in relation to compensation for any changes that may be made in their incomes.
I do not see that the two things tie up at all.
The Minister has given an assurance to the industrialists that in regard to any changes they make, arising out of the decisions with regard to the Common Market, they will be compensated for those decisions because he is not clear as to what compensation will come yet.
There is no question of compensation. Industrialists who make changes will have to pay for a certain amount of those changes themselves and will be assisted in doing so by the Government. I cannot see the analogy between what is being done here and what the Deputy wants me to say now.
Is it not a fact that the Minister, without knowing quite what assistance it will be necessary to give to the industrialists, is giving them an assurance that they will benefit from that assistance? Can he not give a similar assurance to workers who may be made redundant as a result of changes which these employers make?
There is no blind promise of a blank cheque at all. Every application for assistance will have to be related to expansion, to adaptation in the Common Market context.