€23m fund available to assist Dell workers

A FUND of almost €23 million set up to assist former Dell workers and others who lost their jobs as a result of the closure of the computer giant’s Limerick plant will become available today after the workers’ programme was signed off by the EU Commission.

The EU is contributing €14.8m from its globalisation fund and the remaining €8m is being given by the government.

Two days of advice for workers who wish to access the fund takes place at the South Court Hotel today and tomorrow.

Junior Minster at the Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment Dara Collery met with representatives of the newly formed Dell Redundant Workers Association along with local politicians recently to discuss the fund and how it will be spent.

A senior manager with Fás has been appointed to head up a group which will oversee the management of the money which can be used for a wide range of purposes including, education courses, upskilling programmes, and enterprise start-ups.

Alan Kelly MEP who was to the fore in the European parliament in getting money from the EU said he wanted a lot of flexibility on how the money is used to help those eligible to receive assistance from it.

Mr Kelly said: “There have been mixed messages that Social Welfare payments may be affected and we want this sorted out. We also want to ensure that the fund is ring-fenced for the Dell situation and not used to supplement existing Fás and IDA courses. We will also want to ensure that people who want to pursue further education can do so in their own parts of the country, our outside the country if necessary.”

Mr Kelly said he also felt that some money from the fund should go towards the administrative costs of running the Dell Redundant Workers Association.

The government has stated that there will be no cash payments to individuals and the fund would be administered through various State agencies.

Chairman of the Dell Redundant Workers Association Denis Ryan said they wanted to fund to benefit the workers and not get locked into the bureaucracy of various agencies.