Vol. 404 No. 1
116 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Labour the applications for Structural Funds which his Department have forwarded to the EC Commission seeking co-financing for training schemes for women; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
All training courses and employment schemes assisted by the European Social Fund are equally available to both male and female applicants.
In addition special initiatives for women are incorporated in operational programmes:
(i) under the Objective 3 Operational Programme for the long term unemployed, 1,200 women who are long term unemployed will receive training over the period 1990-93 at a cost of £4.7 million of which 65 per cent will be drawn from the ESF;
(ii) under Objective 4 Operational Programme for Youth 1,200 young women will receive training in nontraditional occupations over the period 1990-93 at a cost of £4.7 million of which 65 per cent will be drawn from the ESF.
These two initiatives will further assist the re-entry and will promote the participation of women at levels of the labour market where traditionally they have been under-represented.
