Plan aims to tackle jobless problem

Details of Ireland's four territorial employment pacts are expected to be announced shortly. The four pacts, in Dundalk/ Drogheda, Westmeath, Limerick City and Dublin, have all advertised for co-ordinators and the posts are expected to be announced over the coming weeks.

The pacts, the brainchild of the EU Commission President, Mr Jacques Santer, will liaise with similar groupings across Europe in an attempt to tackle unemployment on a local or regional basis.

Each area will receive funding of 250,000 ecus (£190,766) for technical assistance. Mr William Carroll, the interim co-ordinator of the Dublin group and director of the Dublin regional authority, said the funding will help with research but would not go very far in setting up large-scale job initiatives.

Mr Neil Walker, the acting co-ordinator for the Limerick area and project director of the Paul Partnership, said his area is planning a seminar in November when the issues will be thrashed out. Limerick's planning report, being completed by Dr Jim Dalton and Prof Barra Cinneide of Limerick University, will be available on October 20th, he added.

The target areas across Europe have already attended a conference in Rome, while many of the co-ordinators have visited other areas across Europe in a bid to pick up fresh ideas. The idea is that the regions become "best practice examples" on tackling unemployment. The plans should be implemented after December when they will be launched.