The students summer jobs scheme, which I introduced for the first time last year proved to be a major success. The scheme was a very positive development, of benefit to both students and to the local communities.
The 1994 scheme is proving to be even more successful. At the week ending 24 June 1994, 10,200 jobs have been offered by about 1,940 sponsors who are directly involved in community and voluntary work and over 9,300 claims have already been received from third level college students. This represents a very considerable increase on the number of student claims which had been received at the same point last year and I am confident that additional applications will continue to be submitted in the coming weeks.
Third level students are not entitled to claim unemployment assistance during their summer holidays. This scheme was introduced for students as an alternative to unemployment assistance and allows them to gain valuable work experience while at the same time making a worthwhile contribution to their local communities.