ESF in Ireland

The European Social Fund (ESF) is the European Union's financial instrument for investing in people. The ESF channels money into helping Member States meet the goals they have agreed together for educating and training people throughout Europe through the European Employment Strategy. Its mission is, to help prevent and fight unemployment, to make Europe's workforce and companies better equipped to face new challenges and to prevent people losing touch with the labour market

ESF grant are not available directly from the Department of Enterprise,Trade & Employment. The ESF supports a range of courses, schemes and projects across the country but this assistance is channelled through various departments and agencies. Funding from the ESF may mean new courses provided, additional places on courses, no fees or indeed grant assistance for students or trainees. Please check with the organisation to find out if assistance is available and whether you can benefit from it. Check the list of supported activities supported by the ESF 2007-2013 for details for details of organisations running measures which maybe of interest to you.

The ESF is one of two EU Structural Funds in the 2007-2013 programming period. The common goal of all of the Funds is to bridge the gap between the wealthier and less well-off regions of Europe by co-financing development programmes. This will reduce the differences between regions and create a better economic and social balance within and between Member States. Ireland will receive  €901 million from the Structurual Funds from 2007-2013, of this €375 million will be in the form of ESF assistance. 

Under the European Regional Deveopment Fund, whose principle objective is to promote economic and social chhesion through the reduction of imbalances between regions or social groups, Ireland will also receive funding of approximately €901 million. The funding will be divided between the SAE (Southern and Eastern) and BMW (Border, Midland and Western) Operational Programmes. In addition the ERDF also supports the European Territorrial Co-operations objective (INTERREG) programme.

ESF objectives are implemented in Ireland through the Human Caprital Investment Operational Programme 2007-2013. Since Ireland joined the EU, the ESF has invested over €6 billion in education, training and employment creation in Ireland. In the period 2007-2013 the ESF will seek to  addresses issues  relating to the upskilling of workers, support for increaed participation by marginalised groups in the workforce to support equality and prevent discrimination in the workforce.