EU Commissioner to visit Limerick (June 25th, 2009)

The European Commissioner for Employment, Vladimir Spidla, will visit Limerick next week to meet with employees made redundant at the Dell plant in Raheen. It follows this week’s commitment by the EU to fast track Ireland’s application for funding to help retrain thousands of workers laid off at Dell and in the local industries that relied on the computer giant for their survival.
Local Labour MEP Alan Kelly, who has worked closely with the Dell workers, says a decision is expected in the coming weeks on whether the EU will agree to provide funds. ‘It’s good news, but it’s not before time,’ said the newly-elected MEP. ‘The government have been slow off the mark in applying for the funding, but it’s absolutely vital for those losing their jobs that they can retrain as quickly as possible.’
‘Hopefully when the Commissioner sees the effect of the Dell redundancies with his own eyes it will also help to speed up the process,’ he added.
During his two-day trip to Limerick, Mr Spidla will drop into the government retraining programmes already underway in Shannon. The Commissioner will also visit the Limerick housing estates of Moyross and Southill, where EU funding is also helping to support social inclusion programmes.