A GROUP representing former Dell workers in Limerick have requested an urgent meeting with Tánaiste Mary Coughlan amid concerns that they have not been able to access a €22m retraining fund.

It is almost 100 days since José Manuel Barroso, the president of the EU Commission, announced that the EU parliament had earmarked €14.8m to retrain Dell workers, with a further €7m to be allocated by the Irish government.

As the first anniversary of the 8 January announcement of 1,900 job losses with the closure of Dell's Limerick plant app­roaches, the members of the Dell Redundant Workers Association are concerned that they have not been able to access the €22m fund.

They are worried that there are strict EU guidelines prohibiting them from accessing the fund after 18 months.

Denis Ryan, chairperson of the Dell workers' group, said: "We have had two meetings at the Department of Enterprise with the various agencies such as Fás and the universities.

"I stressed it would be crying shame if this fund is sent back because of red tape. It would be a sin to send it back. Time is slipping by rapidly but nobody seems to be doing anything about it. We need direction."

Labour MEP Alan Kelly, has expressed concerns about the government "dragging its feet" in administering the fund, and said: "There are only 17 months to spend the money and there is no plan or structure for how to spend the money yet, and the committee to administer it has not been fully established. The clock is seriously ticking. Spending €21m in that space of time and under these criteria will be a massive challenge."

Sources within government told the Sunday Tribune that it hopes to move on the fund ahead of the anniversary of the closure announcement.

And Taoiseach Brian Cowen told the Dáil last week that project management staff will be appointed within days to distribute the fund.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment said: "The fund is to support job search, training and education measures for the former Dell workers; the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment will manage the disbursement of the funds.

"Work is well under way with the relevant state agencies, especially with Fás.

Many Dell workers have already accessed the employment, training and education services of agencies and this will continue and develop."