Vol. 522 No. 3
71 Ms Clune asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if, following the meeting with Irish Steel workers in Cork in May 1999, she has been able to resolve their outstanding claim with regard to entitlement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18572/00]
Re-adaptation aid funding under Article 56.2(b) of the ECSC Treaty was secured by my Department from the European Commission in respect of former Irish Steel Limited workers who were made redundant as a result of the 1994 restructuring plan. The application for such funding was made by my Department on the basis that the extra-statutory redundancy payments, made in respect of these workers, constituted the State matching funds. The State's position on matching funding was in line with the 1991 convention between the European Commission and the Government which defines the terms and conditions for the granting of ECSC re-adaptation aid. The State's position was accepted by the commission.
A legal opinion produced by the Attorney General in September 1999 supported the State's interpretation of the 1991 convention. Therefore, there are no payments outstanding to the former workers in respect of ECSC re-adaptation aid, either from the European Commission or from the State. The group of former steel workers have been advised of this position.
