Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 June 2012
64 Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review the requirement that participants in the JobBridge scheme must have been in receipt of social welfare for the three months prior to their internships in view of the large number of college graduates who are interested in availing of the programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28753/12]
View answerThe National Internship Scheme provides internship opportunities of either six or nine months for unemployed individuals on the Live Register, in organisations in the private, public and community voluntary sectors. The scheme is limited to individuals who are currently on the Live Register and have been in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance/Benefit or are signing on for credits for at least three of the last six months.
The eligibility to access the National Internship Scheme is based on the overall objective of labour market policy in ensuring a pathway to appropriate employment, training and education opportunities for those on the Live Register. It is important that as employment opportunities become available they are taken up by those on the Live Register. The structure for achieving this objective is through a reinvigorated National Employment Action Plan (NEAP) which currently provides the framework for engaging with the unemployed. Given the scale of the unemployment crisis, the key objective of labour market policy and of the NEAP will be to keep those on the Live Register close to the Labour Market and prevent the drift into long-term unemployment. The Department of Social Protection continues to monitor and review the operation of the JobBridge scheme including its eligibility criteria on an ongoing basis. However, there are no current plans to review the 78 days qualifying period.
