Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 11 Oct 1994

Vol. 445 No. 6

Written Answers. - EC Training/Job Programmes.

Tony Gregory

Ceist:

216 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment when the special NOW, Horizon and Euroform EC initiatives will be transferred to the operational programmes under the Community Support Framework: and if funding for these projects will be made available through the partnership boards. [401/94]

Minister for Enterprise and Employment (Mr. Quinn)

Funding allocated under the EU Human Resources Community Initiatives — NOW, Horizon and Euroform — provides for the piloting of innovative approaches to training, education and employment creation.

One of the main objectives of the initiatives is to ensure that the positive results achieved in implementing projects, inform the content and delivery of education, training and employment programmes at national and local level. Account has been taken of the positive experiences gained under the initiatives in drawing up Operational Programmes under the Community Support Framework.

As the national authority for all matters relating to the European Social Fund, my Department is directly responsible for the allocation of funding under the Human Resources Community Initiatives in Ireland. Funding under the initiatives is open to all project sponsors, including the partnership boards.

Guidelines for the new Human Resources Community Initiatives were published by the European Commission in the Official Journal of the European Communities on 1 July 1994. The guidelines provide for the following initiatives in the Human Resources area — Employment NOW, Employment Horizon, Employment Youthstart and ADAPT.

Employment NOW and Employment Horizon are a continuation of the existing NOW and Horizon Initiatives. The ADAPT Initiative represents a continuation and deepening of the present Euroform Initiative. Employment Youthstart is a new initiative which aims to promote labour market integration of young people.

Operational Programmes for the initiatives will be finalised in the near future and hopefully agreed with the European Commission early next year. Subject to this time frame being adhered to, it is proposed to publicly invite project proposals in the first half of 1995.

Project sponsors, who have received assistance under the current Human Resources Community Initiatives, will be eligible to apply for funding under the new initiatives, providing they are in a position to comply with the criteria for funding set out in the Operational Programmes.