On 22nd September 2010 the European Commission announced its approval of an application from Ireland for European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) co-financing assistance in support of redundant workers formerly employed at the S R Technics aircraft maintenance facility at Dublin airport.
The EGF application is for a total of €11.46m of which the EU contribution sought is €7.45m. The application remains to be approved by the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament.
In the interim national funding, in anticipation of subsequent EU reimbursement up to specified limits, is being provided for the continued roll-out of measures across a wide range of service providers currently which former S R Technics workers may avail of. These measures include occupational guidance, training, educational opportunities and enterprise supports.
For example, last week the Minister for Defence and the Minister for Lifelong Learning, announced a new programme which commenced earlier this week to facilitate former S R Technics apprentices to complete the on-the-job phases of their apprenticeships with the Air Corps which will be co-financed with EGF support.
Tenders have been received under a public tendering exercise for a national coordinator for EGF implementation and this process will be brought to completion shortly. In the interim all State agencies and relevant educational bodies involved in service provision for redundant S R Technics workers have met to discuss how the current measures available can be intensified for the remaining period of anticipated EGF funding.
It is intended that an information event, such as was previously run last December, will be run in the next few weeks to fully inform redundant S R Technics workers of the services being made available. All eligible redundant workers will be contacted individually in this regard.
