andMr. Mitchell asked the Minister for Labour the amount of aid Ireland will receive from the European Social Fund in 1980; the manner in which decisions were taken as to the type of aid to be sought from the fund; by whom these decisions were made; if there is any significant change in the type of aid being sought in 1980 as against 1978; and if he will outline the Government's policy in respect of applications for aid from this fund.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - European Social Fund.
22.
I assume that the Deputies' question refers to the amount of Social Fund aid requested for Ireland in 1980 and not to actual receipts from the fund in 1980, many of which relate to operations carried out in previous years. Applications totalling £56.57 million, in respect of operations commencing in 1980, have been submitted by Ireland to the European Commission. The Commission's formal decision on most of these applications will not be conveyed for another few weeks but I understand that a total of £48.24 million has so far been recommended for approval by the Social Fund Committee. Applications for £0.3 million were not recommended by the fund committee and the balance of the applications, amounting to £8.03 million, will be considered next month by the committee.
As Deputies are aware, Social Fund aid is provided mainly for training, the fund providing in relation to Ireland 55 per cent of the cost of approved operations, the balance being provided from public funds. It is the responsibility of the applicant organisations to frame their applications so as to derive maximum benefit from the fund. My Department give assistance and advice to applicants in seeking aid from the fund and try to ensure that the applications conform to the regulations and decisions of the Council of Ministers and to the criteria laid down by the Commission.
The most significant change in the fund since 1978 has been the introduction in 1979 of new aids to promote the employment of unemployed young people. The National Manpower Service, the Department of Education and the Department of the Environment expanded their programmes on behalf of young people to take full advantage of these new aids.
It is the Government's policy to try to obtain maximum benefit for operations in Ireland which might qualify for aid from the fund though within the limitations of the amount of Irish public expenditure which can be made available for such operations. We should also like to see an expansion of the resources of the fund and of the types of aid which it can give and in the proportion of the benefits of the fund which are directed to the less developed parts of the Community.