Minister Killeen announces ¤18.4 million investment under EQUAL Labour Market Programme
22 projects to be funded to the end of 2007
Mr. Tony Killeen T.D., Minister for Labour Affairs today (10th December 2004) announcedthe selection of twenty-two new projects for funding under the EQUAL Community Initiative Programme.
The EQUAL Programme seeks to find new ways of improving the labour market participation of people who are disadvantaged in accessing employment and who are subject to exclusion, discrimination and inequalities in connection with the labour market. Projects are operated by Development Partnerships, which involve community-based organisations, public bodies, employers, trade unions, and the business sector.
Announcing the selection of projects, the Minister said, “despite Ireland’s relatively low unemployment rate, there are still many challenges facing Ireland’s labour market. We live in a more diverse society than ever before and we must ensure that diversity is accepted in the labour market. We also need to ensure that all those who want to work have an opportunity to do so, and allow those who have been furthest removed from the labour market to contribute to, and share in, our economic success”.
The Minister said, “the EQUAL Programme, which will invest ¤18.4 million in these Development Partnerships over the next three years, is an EU-wide Initiative to tackle labour market discrimination and exclusion and is funded by the European Social Fund. Taking account of the twenty-one Development Partnerships currently in operation under EQUAL, this further investment brings the total ESF investment in EQUAL to ¤34.5 million over the lifetime of the Programme”.
Applications for funding were received following a public call for proposals last May. A Selection Committee comprising relevant Government Departments and Agencies and the social partners considered all applications under agreed criteria and selected twenty- two proposals for funding from within the budget available. The potential of projects to impact on policy and practice and to successfully mainstream lessons learned was a primary consideration in the selection process. The new Development Partnerships will commence funded activity on 1st January 2005.
The Minister, in congratulating those selected said, “the competition for funding was extremely keen and I would encourage applicants which were not selected to explore the possibilities of collaborating with the selected Partnerships in seeking other funding opportunities under the Programme”.
Commenting on the regional distribution of the allocated fund, the Minister said, “I am particularly pleased that the Programme will reach out to a variety of local communities across the country, including Dublin, Westmeath, Cork, Galway, the North West, Limerick, Meath, Carlow, Longford, Clare and Meath. The Programme will also contain a number of nationally based projects”.
The Minister said that he expected the solutions and the learning arising from the experimental work under EQUAL would be shared with policymakers, the social partners and other relevant organisations to add value and to support the implementation of the National Employment Action Plan and the European Employment Strategy.
Note For Editors
EQUAL COMMUNITY INITIATIVE 2000-2007SELECTION OF DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIPS FOR ESF FUNDING
Background
The EQUAL Community Initiative is one of four European “Community Initiative” programmes operating in Ireland (the others being LEADER+, URBAN and INTERREG). The overarching aim of EQUAL is to combat discrimination and inequality in connection with the labour market by testing new ways of approaching training, education and employment support through partnerships involving key stakeholders in a strategic, collaborative approach (EQUAL Development Partnerships).
The overall strategy for EQUAL reflects the policy objectives enshrined in the European Employment Strategy. The EQUAL Initiative operates in all existing Members States.
EQUAL funding will be used to test new ways of tackling discrimination in the labour market and increasing labour supply – one of the key elements to support the achievement of the Lisbon Agenda which aims to position the EU as the most dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world by 2010.
The themes covered by EQUAL in Ireland are:
Employability- (Re)-Integration into the labour market
Entrepreneurship- Business creation
Adaptability- Life-long learning/Adaptability to change and new communication technologies
Equal Opportunities- Reconciliation of family and professional life
Asylum Seekers- integration measures
Financial profile for Ireland
EQUAL operates in two distinct Rounds. Round 1 commenced in 2001 and will be completed in mid-2005. Currently there are twenty-one Development Partnerships in operation under Round 1. Round 2 was launched at a public event in the HELIX Conference Centre on 7th May 2004. Over the two Rounds, Ireland will receive investment of over ¤34.5 million from the European Social Fund under EQUAL over the period. Together with match funding from the public and private sector, the total investment in the Programme over the period in question will be in the region of ¤47.8 million.
EQUAL Community Initiative – Second Round Applications and Selections
Applications were received in response to a public call for proposals last May under the Second Round of the EQUAL Community Initiative. A total of ¤48.62 million in ESF aid was requested under these applications.
The total amount of ESF available for Round 2 projects is approximately ¤18.4 million. The EQUAL Selection Committee met on 17th November and 1 December to consider the applications.
The Committee decided on the basis of consensus to fund 22 Partnerships, which will receive a total ESF allocation of approximately ¤18.4 million over the period 2005-2007 inclusive. The new Development Partnerships will commence a developmental phase on 1st January 2005.
The potential to impact on policy and practice and to successfully mainstream lessons learned was a primary factor in the selection process. Overall, the policy orientation for EQUAL Round 2 will continue to be focused on those who are discriminated against in the labour market and remain excluded, vulnerable and marginalized in that regard.
| EQUAL Community Initiative: Development Partnerships selected for ESF funding by the EQUAL Selection Committee 1st December 2004 |
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| Co. Clare VEC Adult & Community Education Service, Ennis, Co Clare |
| EQUAL Ireland-Life Long Learning Project –BMW region (Galway based) |
| M.I.T.E. - Meath Investment in Training and Employment, Co Meath |
| Senior Select Retain and Retrain Chambers of Commerce of Ireland- National project |
| Equal at Work,Dublin Employment Pact, Dublin 1 |
| e-QUALITY THROUGH e-WORK, Southside Partnership Ltd. Dun Laoghaire |
| East Coast Area Health Board, Bray, Co Wicklow |
| Roma Cultural Mediation Project, Access Ireland, Dublin 1 |
| DP9 Westmeath Employment Pact, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath |
| Tallaght Equal Assists, Tallaght Partnership Ltd, Dublin 24 |
| Ex-Prisoner Employment Project, VEC Cork & Castlerea |
| Carlow Equal Employment Partnership, Carlow |
| WAM (Willing Able Mentoring) Programme AHEAD Dublin 2 – National project |
| LEAP - Legal Education for All Project, Irish Traveller Movement, Dublin 2 |
| KWCD Employer Exchange,Crumlin Village, Dublin 12 |
| Employment 4 Education, Central Remedial Clinic, Dublin 3 |
| Equal Youth, Ballymun Job Centre, Dublin 11 and Meitheal Mayo |
| Longford Equal Development Partnership Ltd, Longford |
| Point2enterprise, Paul Partnership, Limerick |
| EMERGE PARTAS Tallaght, Dublin 24 (also Cork and Galway) |
| N.W. Alliance for Improving Working Lives, N.W. Health Board, Co. Leitrim |
| Leadership Initiative - Females in Trade unions (LIFT)- ICTU Dublin 1 |
ENDS/LA 95
Last modified: 10/12/2004
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