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THOUSANDS OF UNEMPLOYED construction workers are to benefit from €35 million in aid being granted by a European Commission fund, it has been announced.
The Commission has announced it is to provide the assistance through the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund to help 5,987 redundant construction workers across Ireland to get back into employment.
The scheme will help the workers by providing them with training programmes at second and third level, occupational guidance, enterprise support as well as allowances and income support for training schemes.
It comes following three applications from Irish authorities for funding for over 9,000 workers made redundant from small and medium-sized businesses as a direct result of the financial and economic crisis and the fall in the property sector.
The Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland estimates that 166,000 people have been made unemployed since the collapse in the construction industry.
Employment in the industry is said to have fallen to 105,000 now, from 271,000 in 2007 at the height of the property boom in Ireland.
Of the 9,089 workers the application covered, 5,987 of them who are seen as facing the greatest challenges getting back into employment will be covered under the scheme which will cost €55 million in total.
The government will provide the extra €20 million needed.
The funding is subject to approval by the European Parliament and the EU’s Council of Ministers.
The announcement was welcomed by Labour MEP Pronsias De Rossa who said he was confident the funding would be secured “probably within six to eight weeks.”
The Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland also welcomed the announcement, pointing to a potential knock-on effect for the overall economy:
“This could also have a positive knock-on effect for the economy as it will enable unemployed construction workers to return to work and contribute to the economy by paying taxes or by possibly creating employment opportunities for others,” Andrew Nugent from the Society said.
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Treating it as a health matter, not a criminal one, is the only way forward.
Seriously, grow up. Treating all drugs as though they are heroin has us where we are today: people buying cannabis from dodgy dealers in dangerous narcotics.
Cannabis is generally less harmful than alcohol. Allow it to be bought in main street shops and keep educated and wiser youth away from the sellers of deathly poisons….
@Kieran Magennis: very true. The argument that drugs must be pursued relentlessly because they are a health concern is a circular argument as most of the health issues are associated with the fact that drugs are illegal. Does anyone seriously believe that nearly one person a day would be dying from drug poisoning if drugs were legal. It is the fact they are illegal that creates by far the biggest threat to those that consume them. Make alcohol illegal and how many people would be going blind and dying from poisoning. Not a single country in the world regardless of harsh sanctions has eradicated drug use. This should be an indicator as to the total failure of the current policy. Time for change.
Why is it a criminal offense to alter your state of mind in the first place?
I mean when someone cheats on their spouse this creates tremendous psychological trauma for the whole family especially the kids – totally legal, no one makes a fuss.
Someone drops some acid with some friends while watching a sunrise – lock him up and throw away the keys.
I think there is something fundamentally wrong with the way our society thinks.
@Termaz Fx: Well said
@Termaz Fx: spot on. We have a societal fear of people getting off their heads on anything other than alcohol.
That is where a lot of the hysteria surrounding drugs and drug policy comes from.
@john doe: Stupid parallel…we know what’s in the Alcohol , we often dont know whats in the stuff we buy from some random street dealer- all kinds of mind & body destroying muck. Oh, AND many of us in society DO CARE when someone- usually a young person- ” is off his/her head” for whatever reason.
@Margate: no Margate you misunderstand.
The harms of the unknown substances are one thing (which would be minimised by legalisation) What myself and the poster above are discussing is the commonly held viewpoint that being high is somehow morally wrong.
If it is not bad for your health when done correctly, such as with a lot of psychedelic drugs, there is nothing actually bad or immoral about getting extremely high. But society in general seems to judge it as wrong…
For example, there are lots of activities which are considerably more harmful to the ones doing them and public in general than most illegal drugs, like motor racing or rock climbing, but because the practitioner does not get high from it nobody judges it as morally wrong.
Decriminalisation will never happen here, too many TD’s stuck in the 1950’s, but sure it’s grand to drink yourself into oblivion as don’t I have s couple of pubs me self.
@Brian Smith: the lads in kerry should be allowed drink and drive too. They all want to
@Brian Smith: Too many TDs are publicans. Drug use probably cuts into their margins. They’re also clueless old men largely playing to the people who go out and vote (old people)
Complete BS from our Garda again. Fake numbers from a bunch of fakes.
To really reduce the harms from drugs we need to go past decriminalisation to heavy regulation/ legalisation. This coupled with sensible education is the safest way to deal with all drugs consumed recreationally.
@john doe: hence it won’t happen here til all the FFG voters die off
Why was my comment about saying fook all to the cops bar giving your name and address until your brief arrives deleted ? That’s advise ANY solicitor in the country would give…
@John Ryan: ridiculous that that was taken down
@John Ryan: mine too… i smell bacon.
First they were deleting far right comments. Everyone was happy because they weren’t far right.
Then they started deleting comments concerned about un-vetted immigration. Everyone was happy because they didn’t want to be called racists.
Now they started deleting comments with genuine legal advise with zero hate speech.
History is doomed to repeat itself.
have your say