EU COMMISSIONER for employment, social affairs and equal opportunities Vladimir Spidla is in Limerick today to meet community representatives involved in the Moyross Regeneration project and workers made redundant from the Dell plant.
Ahead of his visit to Limerick, Mr Spidla said he was aware of how hard Limerick and its region had been hit by the recession, in the same way that many other areas across Europe are suffering.
“I hope that my various meetings with local actors as well as workers and trainees will give me a fuller picture of the situation on the ground and help me understand what people are going through and the situation they are facing,” he said.
“It’s very tough for everyone here – and all together, from the local to the European level, we need to take co-ordinated, quick and decisive actions to improve the situation,” he added.
Mr Spidla confirmed that two weeks ago, the European Commission received an application for assistance from the European Globalisation Fund for workers made redundant by Dell and its suppliers.
“I can’t tell you yet what the outcome of this application is,” he said, “but I am committed to processing this application as quickly as possible. And as I’ve said before, as long as the application meets the criteria set out in the regulations, we will look at it favourably.”
Mr Spidla arrived in Dublin yesterday, where he met Tánaiste Mary Coughlan and Minister for European Affairs Dick Roche.
“My meetings with the Tánaiste and Minister Roche were a good opportunity for me to learn about the plans announced last week to tackle unemployment by the Irish Government, to discuss the European Globalisation Fund application aimed at helping workers made redundant by Dell and for me to share with the Ministers what the EU is doing,” he said.
Mr Spidla also met senior representatives from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and employers’ body Ibec. “Ireland has a long tradition of social partnership. I strongly support social dialogue because it’s a good way of facing up to tough situations,” he said.