Vol. 409 No. 2
12 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Labour the way in which Ireland will benefit from the EUROFORM, NOW and HORIZON Programmes of the European Community which are designed to develop youth resources in the country this year.
The three Community Initiatives referred to in the Deputy's question have separate and distinct objectives: EUROFORM aims to promote the availability of new skills demanded because of technological changes and the completion of the Internal Market; NOW seeks to further promote equal opportunities for women in access to employment, particularly in occupational areas where they have traditionally been under-represented; and HORIZON concerns the special needs of the handicapped and the disadvantaged and focuses on the provision of guidance and counselling services and the development of local employment opportunities.
The European Commission has notified an indicative financial allocation for these three initiatives of £19.73 million for Ireland in the period to end-1993. This will be financed from the Structural Funds reserve.
An information seminar was organised by my Department on behalf of the European Commission and representatives of relevant agencies and local interests attended.
A wide range of projects have been received under each of the headings. These are now being reviewed and an operational programme for each initiative will be submitted to the European Commission in advance of the end-June deadline. The Commission for its part expects to be in a position to react to operational programmes submitted by November of this year.
Under the Community Support Framework the training needs of young people are catered for under an Operational Programme for the Occupational Integration of Young People — commonly known as the Objective 4 programme. Young people may also avail of training under the Operational Programmes for Industry and Services, Tourism, Agriculture and Rural Development, the Disabled and Exceptional Measures.
