Government set to lose €15.5m in EU funds due to claims irregularities

THE Government is set to lose over €15.5m in EU funding due to irregularities in the way claims for grants under the European Social Fund (ESF) were processed.

The European Court of Justice recently indicated it will throw out a legal challenge by the Government to a decision of the European Commission to withhold money due under the ESF.

The Government launched proceedings against the EC in 2003 after it cut the agreed level of assistance for a package of almost €1.9 billion. It claimed the decision should be reversed as any irregularities were “technical”.