Dan Neville
Question:148 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will review his decision to cut the student summer jobs scheme. [18059/03]
Written Answers. - Summer Jobs Scheme.
The students summer jobs scheme was first introduced in 1993 to provide income support for less well off students who were disqualified under social welfare legislation from receiving unemployment assistance during the summer months. The scheme allowed students to take up part-time work useful to their community and to receive payment for this work.
When the scheme was introduced, unemployment levels in Ireland were among the highest in the EU and students found it difficult during the holiday period to obtain work. In the past five years, however, the take up has dropped signifi cantly from 13,500 in 1998 to 4,600 in 2002. This decline reflects the greater and wider availability of alternative and well-paid summer jobs in recent years. Against this background, it was decided to discontinue the students summer job scheme in 2003. A replacement scheme is not proposed. Rather, I anticipate that partnerships and community groups should offer practical assistance and support to students in disadvantaged areas in finding temporary summer employment in the labour market. The Deputy will appreciate that many third level students have only recently completed the academic year, and consequently, it is too early to evaluate progress.