Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 6 Mar 1997

Vol. 476 No. 1

Written Answers. - Irish Steel Funding.

Mary O'Rourke

Question:

43 Mrs. O'Rourke asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment his view on whether the EU decision to have a petition hearing in relation to the Government's failure to honour commitments to the Irish Steel workers will force a rethink on the matter. [6199/97]

Ned O'Keeffe

Question:

92 Mr. E. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the current position regarding the provision of matching funds from his Department to a group (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will meet with the committee of this group which has made several requests for such a meeting. [6490/97]

Máirín Quill

Question:

97 Miss Quill asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment if he intends to meet the ex-Irish Steel Workers Committee in order to clarify the position in relation to Readaptation Aid Article 56 2 (b) of the ECSC Treaty. [6415/97]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 43, 92 and 97 together. As I have previously indicated to the House, the provision of additional matching funding does not arise in relation to the re-adaptation aid of 627,000 ECU approved by the EU Commission in December 1995-November 1996 under Article 56(2)(b) of the ECSC Treaty for 209 former Irish Steel workers made redundant in 1994, 1995 and early 1996 under the 1994 Irish Steel Restructuring plan. The extra-statutory redundancy payments received by the former workers constitute the matching funding and this has been accepted by the EU Commission. On the previous occasion that readaptation aid was paid to former Irish Steel workers by the EU Commission in 1985, the extra-statutory redundancy payments received by the workers made redundant then constituted the matching funding at that time.

I can assure the House that my Department will make the EU re-adaptation aid payments to the 209 eligible former Irish Steel workers as a matters of priority on receipt by my Department of the re-adaptation aid from the EU Commission. I understand that this funding is expected from the Commission by the end of March. As I have previously indicated to the House, this aid package represents a significant improvement on the terms available in the original Commission decision of December 1995. The amount payable to each of the 209 former Irish Steel workers will be 3,000 ECU (approximately £2,200 per person).

Regarding the petition mentioned by Deputy O'Rourke, I understand this petition was submitted to the European Parliament by the Committee representing the former Irish Steel workers. My Department informally received a copy of the petition yesterday but has received no formal communication from the Committee representing the former Irish Steel workers, from the European Parliament or from the European Commission on this matter. I understand, from very recent contact with the European Parliament and the European Commission, that no decision has been taken by the European Parliament regarding the formal hearing of the petition. However, I would point out to the Deputy that there is no question of a failure by the Government to honour commitments to the former Irish Steel workers as the extra-statutory redundancy payments received by the former workers constitutes the State matching funding and this has been accepted by the EU Commission.

I am meeting with the Committee representing the former Irish Steel workers on next Tuesday at 6.30 p.m. to discuss the re-adaptation aid issue.