European Social Fund – Stephen Kinsella

List

Economics of EU Integration Lecture 11

24/11/2008 | Stephen Kinsella | Teaching, EC4333 | EU, European Regional Development Fund, European Social Fund, European Union, Funding, Ireland, Irish people, Structural Funds and Cohesion Funds

This is the last lecture of the course. We'll look at Ireland in the EU, and do a recap of the course.

Most Irish people drive past the blue signs along new roads up and down the country, indicating that "This project was co-financed by the EU". Since joining in 1973, the difference between what Ireland paid in and what the EU paid out is about €55 billion euros.

EU funding has gone into into every aspect of Irish life: building the economy; improving transport and communication networks; increasing trade; creating employment; promoting cultural diversity, peace and understanding; cleaning up the environment; restoring tourism amenities; sustaining a country life and protecting human rights.

Thanks to Ireland's economic success we no longer qualify for the same volume of EU funding as in the past. For the funding period 2007-2013, Ireland will receive Structural Funds of €750.72 million : €375.36 million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and €375.36 million from the European Social Fund (ESF).

This lecture examines Ireland's changing position within Europe since 1973 to 2008, against the backdrop of everything we have learned in lectures to date. We'll also talk about...

...The Exam

For the exam, read the assigned readings, listen to the lectures again, make sure to have a go at the sample exam, the past exam, redo your problem sets, and spend some time working on breadth and depth of coverage of the course, because I'll be examining both.

Other than that, good luck, and thanks.