Written Answers. - Customs Clearance Staff.
Proinsias De Rossa
Question:
107
Proinsias De Rossa
asked the
Minister for Enterprise and Employment
if, in regard to the European Council Regulation 3904/92, £415,000 is the total amount available for Irish customs clearance staff; if this money will be used solely for training and re-training; if there are alternative proposals being considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Proinsias De Rossa
Question:
108
Proinsias De Rossa
asked the
Minister for Enterprise and Employment
when approval is expected on the projects submitted to the European Commission, under Council regulations 3904/92, relating to training and re-training measures for customs clearance workers; the number of the staff affected who will be covered by these projects; if he has any further projects in preparation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 107 and 108 together.
Regulation 3904/92 provided 30 MECU (approximately IR£24 million) to assist zones and individuals affected by the completion of the Single Market. Allocations to each member state were based on the total EC estimate of 63,000 jobs being affected. Ireland's indicative allocation is 520,000 ECUs (approximately £418,000) based on a projected figure of 1,116 jobs affected. Eighty-five per cent of the fund will be allocated initially in respect of projects submitted by 31 March 1992. The Commission will then allocate the remaining 15 per cent of the fund together with any unused funds where member states have not availed of their 85 per cent allocation. Ireland's indicative allocation is 520,000 ECUs (approximately £418,000) and 85 per cent of this allocation will be allocated in the first instance to applications approved by the Commission. The availability of funding in excess of our allocation will depend on the take-up of allocations by the other member states.
The projects submitted to the Commission mainly involve re-training by firms of existing staff whose work disappeared with the advent of the Single Market on 1 January 1993.
Article 7 of Regulation 3904/92 stipulates that the Commission shall adopt a decision on the applications for assistance, in principle no later than three months after their submission. As the deadline for submission of applications was 31 March 1993 decisions on applications will be made before 30 June 1993.
Applications submitted covered 183 staff affected by the Single Market. There are no further projects in preparation.
Assistance is provided under this Regulation to promote the conversion and/or restructuring of the weakened but viable enterprises and may concern:
—management of the conversion or restructuring of the enterprises, in particular by market studies and research;
—technology transfer, including the collection and dissemination of information, and innovations within the enterprises;
—assistance in the creation or maintenance of long term employment;
—vocational training for employees of the enterprises and any measures to facilitate such training.
