Vital funding to support former SRT Workers

Date: 21/09/2010
Posted by: Darragh

GOVERNMENT SECURES VITAL FUNDING TO SUPPORT FORMER SRT WORKERS

I welcome the announcement by the European Commission that Ireland has successfully applied for support through the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) for workers made redundant at SR Technics.

I'm delighted to say that up to €11.5m is being made available to help workers who lost their jobs at the SRT plant at Dublin Airport last year. Nearly two-thirds of this funding is coming from the EU. 35% of the total funding is coming from national resources under the co-financing support plan.

The Government has already moved to put in place supports for former SRT workers. FÁS has provided training and guidance to around 850 workers and up to 100 more are getting educational support and assistance in VECs and third level institutions. However I have always recognised that the support needed for the hundreds of workers affected would require a strong case to be made to the EU.

I want to thank the officials involved in preparing what has been described as a very robust application to the EGF. This money will help to speed up the training and education for the workers affected.

The Government is committed to supporting the workers made redundant at SR Technics. I am particularly concerned that apprentices at the company be facilitated on-the-job training to complete their necessary requirements. I understand an important announcement will be made in the very near future in this regard and I wish the apprentices concerned every success in their training.