Minister of State for Tourism and Sport Michael Ring has welcomed the announcement of funding from Minister of State, Kathleen Lynch under the ESF Equality for Women Measure 2012.
Under Strand 1 – Access to Employment, The South West Mayo Development Company has been allocated the sum of €33,333. Under Strand 2 Fostering Female Entrepreneurship: The Mayo Intercultural Action Ltd was allocated the sum of €33,152.
This funding is given to positive action projects around Ireland which work to increase women’s participation in the labour market and the broader economy under the ESF Funded Equality for Women Measures (EWM ). The Equality for Women Measure 2008-2013 has benefited some 8,000 women to date and enabled a significant number to return to the labour market despite the difficult economic environment.
This further announcement will enhance the employment opportunities of a further number of women right across Ireland and will continue to foster female entrepreneurship. The important contribution made by woman to economic growth is often overlooked. In Ireland, the number of women at work increased by 57 per cent to over 900,000 in the 10 year period to 2008, and it is still 43 per cent ahead of the 1998 statistics, despite the economic downturn.
Minister Ring concluded: “I wish to acknowledge the important contribution that ESF funding makes to the achievements of greater economic equality for women in Ireland and indeed across Europe.”
