asked the Minister for Labour the steps he is taking to ensure that any changes in the administration of the European Social Fund, which are due to be decided on this year, will be to Ireland's advantage and that the needs of our long term unemployed will be taken into account.

Negotiations are already taking place on the reform of the Community Structural Funds, which include the European Social Fund, as part of the Delors Plan for the future of Europe. In those negotiations, Ireland is pressing in particular for a doubling of the volume of assistance to the poorer or less developed regions of the Community and for an increase in the rate of assistance to those regions. I hope that decisions on these issues favourable to Ireland will be taken at the forthcoming meeting of the European Council on 11-12 February next. When the broad decisions on the reform of the Structural Funds have been taken the European Commission will later this year submit proposals to the Council for the detailed administration of the European Social Funds. It is my intention, in the Council of Ministers, when the proposals relating to the European Social Fund are being discussed, to press for a special rate of assistance for schemes such as the social employment scheme which are designed to suit the long term unemployed. The designation of the long term unemployed as a priority category has already been agreed in principle by all delegations.

Is the Minister satisfied that the social employment scheme is the correct vehicle through which to provide work for the long term unemployed or is he examining different schemes? I am thinking of other schemes which are operating in Europe, such as local employment initiatives, which are not necessarily on the basis of our social employment scheme but which would benefit from the European Social Fund and the hopefully increased allocation we will get.

I will have more details on that for the Deputy when I reply to her priority question. The social employment scheme has proven to be a considerable success so I think it is the correct type of scheme.