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European Globalisation Fund

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 5 December 2018

Wednesday, 5 December 2018

Ceisteanna (165)

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy

Ceist:

165. Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if an application has been made to a fund (details supplied) in view of recent redundancies nationally at Bord na Móna; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51068/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The EGF Managing Authority in the Department of Education and Skills is monitoring developments following the recent announcement by Bord na Móna and is assessing the potential for an EGF application in consultation with the European Commission.

The EGF is an EU co-funding instrument to assist workers made redundant as a result of globalisation or due to the global financial and economic crisis. In making applications to the European Commission for EGF support, Member States must provide a reasoned analysis of the link between the redundancies and major structural changes in world trade patterns due to globalisation, demonstrated by:

- A substantial increase in imports into the EU;

- A serious shift in EU trade in goods or services;

- A rapid decline of the EU market share in a given sector; or

- A delocalisation of activities to third countries,

provided that the redundancies can be shown to have a significant adverse impact on the local, regional or national economy.

In addition, the EGF Regulation ordinarily restricts eligibility to redundancy situations involving at least 500 redundancies in a specific company (including suppliers and downstream producers) within a 4 month period, or at least 500 redundancies in a specific sector in a 9 month period. However, in exceptional circumstances applications can be considered where the number of redundancies is not entirely met, when the redundancies will have a serious impact on employment and the local, regional or national economy.

EGF applications must specify the number of redundancies that have occurred within the applicable reference period and must be submitted within 12 weeks of the end of that period.

This Department understands that Bord na Móna is operating a voluntary redundancy programme and the final redundancy numbers will not be known until that programme ends on 31 January 2019. This Department will continue to monitor developments.

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