Seanad Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 8 Dec 1999

Vol. 161 No. 13

Adjournment Matters. - Summer Jobs Scheme.

Mr. O'Toole

I appreciate the Minister taking the time to deal with this matter personally. I wish to raise the students' summer jobs scheme. It provides an income for students who are unable to obtain summer employment and are disqualified from claiming unemployment assistance during their summer holidays. The scheme is practical, positive and, while it is not extensive, it supports the local community. Third level and post leaving certificate students are eligible to take up the scheme.

An important aspect of the scheme is that it encourages students to seek employment which is related to their chosen discipline. It is hoped that they will gain experience which will be useful to them when they take up employment following graduation and that is why I have raised this issue. A change was introduced this year whereby the scheme only ran from June to August, inclusive – previously it ran from June to September, inclusive. It would be useful if September could be included because students in colleges of education participate in the scheme, especially those studying for primary teaching. Primary schools are open in June and September and, therefore, in order to satisfy the six week work placement requirement under the scheme students would have to work during both months.

I understand why the scheme was cut back – it was attractive administratively. Students only need six weeks to fulfil the requirements of the scheme and the majority conclude their work in July and August. However, college of education students worked in both June and September and gained invaluable on the job experience. This provided a double whammy positive effect whereby they earned money while contributing to the community and became better prepared for teaching when they graduated. Will the Minister consider running the scheme again in September for teaching students? If such students are to gain experience in the environment in which they will work, it can only take place in June and September. The hours must be worked, correctly, over six weeks because students cannot work more than 35 hours per work. Will the Minister examine this?

It is a positive scheme because students can earn money without paying tax or PRSI and, therefore, it is an attractive proposition. However, I wonder why it must be means tested, although I am sure there is a good reason, because students are no longer seen as appendages of their parents. Unless they have personal means, the scheme should be open to all students. Will the Minister consider the continuation of the scheme in schools during September?

I thank the Minister for coming to the House to reply to this matter.

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern)

I thank the Senator for raising this issue and giving me an opportunity to respond to him in relation to the scheme.

The students' summer jobs scheme was first introduced in 1993 to provide income support for those less well off students who were unable to get summer jobs and who were not entitled to claim unemployment assistance during the summer holiday period. The scheme provides community based work for the students who qualify and over the past six years it has provided necessary support for students from low income families who would otherwise have been unable to find work.

Many local communities and voluntary groups have benefited significantly from the scheme with many worthwhile projects in their own areas being undertaken which would not otherwise have been carried out. At the same time, the scheme has benefited the participating students by providing them with work experience in a wide variety of environments. Among the activities engaged in have been assisting with summer camps, youth drama, heritage projects, rural and historical research, tour guides, coaching in various sports, assisting voluntary organisations, tidy towns and many more locally based community projects.

The number of participating students increased each year from 1993 to 1995 when nearly 16,000 students worked. Since then, however, the number participating has fallen, mainly because of the wider availability of summer jobs for students especially in the services and tourism sectors. Obviously, it is better for students to get work in the open market and as economic conditions continue to improve, I expect this trend to continue over the coming years.

Some 9,200 students participated this year at an estimated cost of about £5.4 million. In 1997, a total of 15,600 students participated while 13,600 participated in 1998. In 1999, a total of 4,600 sponsors offered 23,400 jobs. From the 4,600 sponsors, 1,400 did not get any students to work for them. I noticed many advertisements in the local newspapers in my area from community groups seeking students to participate in the scheme. This did not happen in previous years.

The Senator raised the issue of the duration of the scheme which this year ran for three months from the beginning of June to the end of August. The focus of the scheme must remain concentrated on those students who are unable to get summer work and who have no other means of support. Experience over the past few years has shown that a number of students who had been approved for the scheme obtained alternative summer work and opted for the scheme for the month of September only. In some cases, this occurred when they had returned from summer jobs abroad. The scheme was never intended to support such students and for this reason the month of September was excluded from the 1999 scheme. However, as I stated, the number of people involved was lower than the previous year.

Arrangements for the introduction of the students' summer jobs scheme for 2000 will be finalised in the new year. I have no plans at present to extend the duration of the scheme to include the month of September. However, I invite the Senator to supply me with information about the difficulties he has experienced in some cases and we will examine it. I have noticed over the past three years since I became Minister that the scheme has been dramatically scaled down. Some people question whether the scheme will be viable in the future given the number of jobs available at present.

Mr. O'Toole

I thank the Minister for his comprehensive reply. I do not disagree with the points he made, but I am making a special case for primary schools. In terms of the information for sponsors, one of the groups would be sporting and education groups. If primary schools are to participate, the only months they can do it are June and September. My proposal is that it should be restricted to people who were involved in the scheme in June. If they are involved in September, they would have to have been involved in June.

I take the Minister's point that the scheme is not an add on for people who have been abroad and I am not trying to achieve that. I am only trying to keep schools involved in the scheme. I also accept the point that with the increasing number of job opportunities, the scheme is going downhill. However, we should also plan for the future. I thank the Minister for his openness and I will take up his offer to further consider special situations. I appreciate that the Minister was present for this matter.