Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 27 May 1992

Vol. 420 No. 4

Written Answers. - European Social Fund Beneficiaries.

Jim Higgins

Question:

161 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Labour the total amount of European Social Fund finance which (a) his Department (b) ANCO (c) FÁS and (d) other similar agencies have received from the European Social Fund on a year by year basis since the introduction of the fund; and if he will outline (1) the individual projects and schemes which have been grant aided and (2) the amounts involved.

Minister for Labour (Mr. Cowen)

Since Ireland joined the European Community in 1973 the total amount of Social Fund aid received to date has amounted to IR£1,746.93 millions.

Details of the amounts received by individual agencies and for individual projects and schemes for the period 1973 to 1986 are now not readily available. However the total amount of ESF aid received during that period was IR£679.6 millions.

In regard to the period 1987 to April 1992 the amounts received by the principal beneficiaries are as follows:

	Dept. Labour	ANCo/ FAS	Dept. Educ.	NRB	IDA	CERT	Teagasc	Others	Total
	IR£	IR£	IR£	IR£	IR£	IR£	IR£	IR£	IR£
	millions	millions	millions	millions	millions	millions	millions	millions	millions
1987	15.19	91.09	51.12	24.69	3.55	4.52	2.28	4.66	197.10
1988	2.12	70.08	45.62	15.11	3.28	5.11	4.31	2.95	148.58
1989	—	69.75	43.96	13.77	3.24	3.18	1.90	2.70	138.50
1990	—	35.38	52.87	27.17	3.43	2.74	4.53	2.42	128.54
1991	—	134.19	164.41	31.85	10.55	9.60	10.30	9.80	370.70
1992
to
30 Apr	—	28.64	24.13	17.69	2.81	—	3.19	7.45	83.91
Total	17.31	429.13	382.11	130.28	26.86	25.15	26.51	29.98	1,067.33

*Including Údarás na Gaeltachta, BIM, SFADCo.

The main organisations and activities assisted by the European Social Fund are—

(1) Department of Education: Programmes of vocational preparation and technological training for young persons provided by vocational education committees, regional technical colleges and third level institutions.

(2) FÁS: Vocational training of unemployed young persons and adults. Retraining of employed persons. Training of apprentices and redundant workers. Employment schemes.

(3) National Rehabilitation Board: (on behalf of health boards and voluntary organisations). Programmes for the training of the handicapped.

(4) IDA: Vocational training of persons for new enterprises.

(5) Teagasc: Vocational training for young persons in agriculture and commercial horticulture.

(6) CERT: Vocational training for hotel and catering services.

(7) Bord Iascaigh Mhara: Training of skippers and dockhands.