Vol. 505 No. 7
10 Mr. McDowell asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the number of places which will be available on the student summer jobs scheme this summer; the dates from which the scheme will operate; the amount to be paid to participants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14593/99]
The students' summer jobs scheme was introduced in 1993 to provide income support for less well off students who are unable to obtain summer jobs and who are debarred from claiming unemployment assistance during the summer holiday period. As advertised last April, the scheme will operate this year from 1 June to 31 August and approved students will be allowed to undertake 200 hours work with sponsors over a six to 13 week period at the rate of £3 per hour. It is estimated that 11,000 students will participate. The closing date for the receipt of applications is 25 June.
The rate which will be paid to students is £3 per hour. The Government proposes, or at least I hope it has not reneged on its election promise, to introduce a national minimum wage of £4.40 per hour. Does the Minister agree that £3 per hour is significantly lower than that rate and that that is perhaps one of the reasons more students are not attracted to the scheme in the first place? What hourly rate will the Minister offer next year?
The Deputy has a hard neck. He asks questions as if he were never a member of a party which was in Government. It is not so long since he was a member of a Government—
I was never a Minister.
—which presided over the students' summer jobs scheme.
I was on the backbenches.
The Deputy need not abdicate responsibility just because he was on the backbenches. This Government is committed to introducing a minimum wage, unlike any Government of which the Labour Party was a member.
Has the Minister introduced the minimum wage yet?
The Labour Party was in power for long enough over the past 20 years, and longer than most, and it did nothing about the minimum wage. The Government is doing something about it.
Will it be introduced before the general election?
The £3 per hour offered under the students' summer jobs scheme is not taxable, is not subject to PRSI and compares favourably with pay for summer work. Students have the option to take on additional work which many of them do.
