EU Funding

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 March 2017

Tuesday, 28 March 2017

Ceisteanna (159)

Eoin Ó Broin

Ceist:

159. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total moneys applied for from the European Commission for a programme (details supplied); the total moneys matched by the State; the total spend from both portions of the programme funding; the total amount of money returned to the European Commission; the total spend for each programme head and per each State agency under the programme, with a breakdown of the State spend and the European Commission spend; the portion under each of these headings returned to the European Commission; the total number of redundant workers that benefitted from the scheme; the average spend per redundant worker; the total number of young people not in employment, education or training, NEETs that benefitted from the scheme; the average spend per NEET; and if he will publish the final report from the programme as submitted to the European Commission. [15006/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

The European Globalisation Fund, EGF application in respect of Lufthansa Technik Airmotive Ireland (LTAI) was based on a total estimated programme expenditure of €4,151,264, with an approved EGF contribution of €2,490,758 (60%) and national co-financing of €1,660,506 (40%).  My Department submitted the final report and expenditure statement on the LTAI EGF programme to the European Commission earlier this month and a copy of that report is being published on the dedicated website www.egf.ie.

The final eligible expenditure under the programme was €2,983,358, resulting in EGF receipts of €1,790,015, or 72% of the approved EGF contribution. Accordingly, €700,743 EGF co-financing (28%) is due to be reimbursed to the European Commission. The national co-financed element of the programme was €1,193,343.

The breakdown of the LTAI EGF programme expenditure by measure and state agency was as follows:

Measure	Estimated Expenditure	Actual Expenditure	% Difference Actual vs Estimated	State Agency^
Occupational Guidance and Career   Supports	€374,074	€546,852	+46%	SOLAS: €546,852
EGF Training Grants	€563,840	€734,233	+30%	SOLAS: €734,233
Training/2nd Level Education   Programmes	€682,000	€108,584	-84%	SOLAS: €104,543 DSP: €4,041
Third Level Education   Programmes	€847,000	€474,014	-44%	HEA: €443,284 SOLAS: €24,980 SUSI: €5,750
Enterprise/Self-employment   Supports	€83,000	€83,299	0%	EI: €83,299
Income Supports including   Course Expense Contributions	€1,373,030	€734,729	-47%	DSP: €443,292 SOLAS: €291,436
Technical Assistance	€228,320	€301,647	+32%	DES: €280,977 SOLAS: €20,670
Total	€4,151,264	€2,983,358	-72%

^Key: DSP - Department of Social Protection; DES – Department of Education and Skills; EI – Enterprise Ireland; HEA – Higher Education Authority; SUSI - Student Universal Support Ireland.

The breakdown of the State spend and the European Commission spend under each measure was 40% and 60% respectively.

When implementing approved EGF programmes, Member States have the flexibility to reallocate amounts between the various measures in the programme, provided that the total amount of the budget approved by the European Commission, Parliament and Council is not exceeded. Therefore, the amounts to be reimbursed to the European Commission are calculated on the basis of the programme as a whole and not by measure.

On conclusion of the programme, EGF supports had been taken up by 253 redundant workers (101% of those targeted) and 171 NEET persons (85% of the target of 200).  Up to 445 NEET persons were offered services with a final take-up of 171.  Excluding technical assistance, the average spend per redundant worker and NEET were €2,516 and €2,547 respectively.