Bernard Allen
Question:58 Mr. Allen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when the European equal programme will commence. [23911/99]
Written Answers. - EQUAL Initiative.
The new human resources EU initiative, EQUAL, will run from 2000 to 2006. The EQUAL initiative aims to promote new means of combating all forms of discrimination and inequalities in connection with the labour market by way of innovative projects involving local consortia and transnational partners. EQUAL will address selected themes and is centred around the four pillars of the employment action plans of the member states encompassing employability, entrepreneurship, adaptability and equal opportunities between women and men. The amount of EU funding available will be 32 million euro, over £25 million.
The EQUAL initiative is currently in draft form. The draft document will be submitted to the ESF committee and the European Parliament in December 1999 for approval and is expected to be published in the official journal by January 2000. The operational programme for Ireland will then be drafted by my Department in consultation with the appropriate groups and organisations and submitted to the European Commission for negotiation. It is expected that the Commission Decision finalising the details of the EQUAL programme for Ireland will subsequently issue in September 2000.
It is anticipated that a public call for project proposals will take place in autumn 2000 with a view to project activity commencing late 2000 or early 2001.