The Tánaiste Mary Coughlan has formally submitted an application for EU aid to support former Dell workers.
The aid is being applied for under the EU's Globalisation Fund (EGF) to retrain workers who were made redundant from the company's plant in Raheen, Co Limerick, and in other businesses who have had to lose jobs as a result of Dell's closure, such as Banta Global Turnkey.
The EGF, which began in 2007, provides active labour intervention support directly to workers, including include assistance with job searching, training and upskilling. The fund has an annual budget of €500 million until 2013.
The Tánaiste said she had been in contact with the EU Commissioner responsible for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Vladimir Spidla, who said it owuld be dealth with it will be dealt with quickly.
"I am making this application to support training and other active labour market measures for the many workers affected in the region and to ensure that they benefit in a way that meets their individual needs and gives them well-grounded hope for future employment through training opportunities," said Ms Coughlan.
In January, Dell announced it would be cutting 1,900 jobs in phased redundancies throughout 2009 at its manufacturing plant in Raheen as part of a $3 billion cost-cutting exercise.