EU to release training funds of €350m early

THE EU will release funds early for retraining and upskilling Irish people unemployed as a result of the economic crisis, a delegation of training and employment bodies has been told.

Ireland is due to receive e350 million over the next four years from the European Social Fund that was earmarked to reduce the numbers of long-term and youth unemployed in urban areas.

But now this money will be released earlier to help with the growing army of unemployed in the country that reached 9.2% last month compared with 4.9% in January, 2008.