EU fund to help workers may be returned

MUCH of the €25 million being paid out by the EU to help get laid-off Irish workers back into employment may have to be returned, MEPs have warned.

The European Parliament has agreed to spend €7.4m to help ex-SR Technics workers, bringing the total for laid-off Irish workers to €25m, but much of it could have to be returned to Brussels.

Despite the growing unemployment in the country, workers are finding it difficult to access the funds designed to retrain, upskill, further educate and help them set up their own businesses. The Government was accused by two Labour MEPs of taking too long to apply for EU funds following lay-offs and once the money is paid, in putting obstacles in the way of workers accessing the funds.