EU COMMITTEE REPORTS ON GOVT'S HANDLING OF EU DELL MONEY
Posted by Alan Kelly on June 25, 2010 at 12:33 PM
The report submitted by the select group of MEP's who visited Limerick to examine the handling of the Dell EGF funds have confirmed all the issues I have highlighting.
The Government’s handling of the EU retraining money for former Dell workers has now proven beyond doubt to be shambolic.
A report compiled by MEPs who visited Limerick made a number of findings:
* The government were too late in getting measures started for workers (one and a half years after the redundancies).
* Govt officials admitted to finding it difficult to even "identify" the workers eligible.
* There was poor communication with workers which bred "mistrust and misunderstandings”.
* Workers were confronted with measures they didn't need or want and felt "left alone".
* There were concerns over the level of administration being put in workers way.
* The Irish system was incapable of responding flexibly to the fund.
* European Commission needs to follow this up more closely for the workers benefit.
* Workers not involved in the application process
The report clearly shows how the government have abjectly failed to administer this fund in a way that will benefit the workers.
It validates what the Labour party have been saying for over six months, that the government was too shabby and slow in getting this fund off the ground for the workers involved. Their incompetence effectively has robbed workers of the opportunity to up-skill themselves.
Workers were being directed towards FAS courses that they didn't need or want rather than focusing on job placements.
Rather than asking the workers what they want - they decided in advance what the workers wanted and that has lead to a very difficult situation.
The state agencies seemed to be looking on this money as their own and not money for the workers. This can no longer continue. They have one year to right the situation and I sincerely hope they do it.
Permanent link | Categories: Enterprise Trade & Employment • Alan Kelly MEP • Dell • EGF • MEP • Dell Redundant Workers • Limerick • Tipperary • Labour • FAS • European Commission
