Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 7 Feb 1996

Vol. 461 No. 2

Written Answers. - Employment Projects.

Pat Upton

Question:

119 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the projects, if any, that are funded or have been approved for funding under the Youthstart Community Initiative Programme of the second round of the structural funds; the name, purpose and location of each project; and the amount of Irish and European funding provided. [2663/96]

Pat Upton

Question:

121 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the projects, if any, that are funded or have been approved for funding under the Employment/Now Community Initiative Programme of the second round of the structural funds; the name, purpose and location of each project; and the amount of Irish and European funding provided. [2665/96]

Pat Upton

Question:

122 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the projects, if any, that are funded or have been approved for funding for disadvantaged people under the Employment/ Horizon Programme of the second round of the Structural Funds; the name, purpose and location of each project; and the amount of Irish and European funding provided. [2666/96]

Pat Upton

Question:

123 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the projects, if any, that are funded or have been approved for funding for disabled people under the Employment Horizon Programme of the second round of the Structural Funds; the name, purpose and location of each project; and the amount of Irish and European funding allocated. [2667/96]

Minister for Enterprise and Employment (Mr. R. Bruton)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 119, 121, 122 and 123 together.

The Employment Initiative encompasses three strands — NOW (New Opportunities for Women), Horizon and Youthstart. In July of last year, I approved 134 projects to proceed to a development phase, during which the project sponsors refined and developed their plans and objectives and consolidated their transnational partnerships. During this project development phase, the various Technical Support Units — the National Women's Council (NOW), Work Research Co-operative (Horizon/ Disadvantaged), the NRB (Horizon/ Disabled) and the National Youth Council of Ireland (Youthstart) — worked closely with all project promoters to ensure, for example, that they had the capacity to deliver on planned activity, to ensure meaningful transnationality, to rationalise proposed budgets and to ensure generally that all criteria were being strictly adhered to. While most of the projects successfully completed this phase, problems have arisen in relation to a small number of projects and, in many such instances, the development phase has been extended for a further short period to enable them sort out difficulties. In recent days, I have approved the projects which have successfully come through the development phase for inclusion under the Employment Operational Programme for the period up the end of 1997. I will forward the list of the approved projects to the Deputy which will include the name, the purpose and location of each and the amount of Irish and European funding involved.