The European Commission has approved a sum of €2.7 million to be used to help hundreds of people affected by the closure of the Talk Talk offices in Waterford last year to return to work.
The proposal, under the European Globalisation Fund, would see the funds used to support the re-integration of a total 432 former Talk Talk staff into the labour market by providing training grants, career guidance or support to begin businesses.
The proposal still requires the backing of the European Parliament and the EU's Council of Ministers.
Broadband provider Talk Talk closed its operations in Waterford in October with the loss of 575 jobs.
The company said it arrived at the decision on foot of a 40 per cent reduction in its call centre business over the previous year as more of its customers were opting to deal with them online.
Talk Talk consolidated some of its business in the UK and outsourced other aspects to third party providers Wipro in India, Transcom in the Philippines and CCI in South Africa.
Minister of State for Training and Skills Ciarán Cannon announced in February that he was submitting an application to the European Globalisation Fund, which is geared to help workers who have been made redundant as a result of globalisation or the global economic crisis.
"This proposal for €2.7 millions from Europe's Globalisation Fund would help these former Talk Talk workers to upgrade their skills and so help them to find new jobs," EU commissioner for employment László Andor said.
