How ESF+/SOLAS funds reach your training programme

Retention: CPR Art. 82 requires 5 years from 31 December of the year of final payment; your SOLAS/ETB contract may require longer — apply the longer period. Any of the following bodies may audit you directly at any time: your ETB, SOLAS, DFHERIS, the Audit Authority (Dept. of Education), and the European Commission/ESF. Training data must be recorded in PLSS (Programme and Learner Support System) and where applicable TACS (Trainee and Apprentice Clocking System). Required records include: attendance, QA records, financial records, procurement records, training records, H&S records (incl. Safety Statement), and all trainee resource material. [Source: LMETB Contracted Training Operational Document, 2024 — verified]

ESF+ / SOLASReg. (EU) 2021/1057 · SOLAS Act 2013 · CPR Reg. (EU) 2021/1060ESF+ EIST Ireland: €1.08bn — €508m EU + €573m Ireland · SOLAS FET: ~€900m/year national

How the money reaches an organisation

Every level here can be asked for its own process map. That is the point of yours.

🏛

European Commission / ESF+

Co-finances SOLAS FET programmes under Reg. (EU) 2021/1057

🏛

DFHERIS — Managing Authority & ESF+ Policy Unit

Manages Ireland's ESF+ EIST programme; oversees SOLAS delegation agreement; houses Audit Authority contact

📋

SOLAS — Funding & Verification Authority

Allocates and verifies FET budgets across ETBs; administers procurement and contract compliance

🎓

ETB — Contracting Body (16 ETBs nationally)

Contract training providers; conduct monitoring visits; maintain PLSS & TACS records; issue payment

👉 Your organisation sits at this level

🤝

Your Training Organisation — Contracted Provider

Must produce on audit: attendance records, QA records, financial records, procurement records, H&S/Safety Statement, PLSS/TACS data, trainee resource material

👥

Learners / Trainees

Unemployed adults, NEETs, upskilling workers, apprentices across FET provision

⚖️

Audit Chain (retain per CPR Art. 82 + your contract)

ECA → OLAF → Dept. Education (Audit Authority) → C&AG → DFHERIS → SOLAS → ETB → Your Organisation

Process maps under this programme

Education & Training Provider — ETB / SOLAS / ESF+To get a learner a qualification an employer actually recognises — so that the course is judged by what happens to people afterwards, not by how many enrolled.

Where this came from

Employment, Inclusion, Skills and Training (EIST) Programme 2021–2027 — EU Funds Ireland

Read against the source on 2026-09-02.