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National Internship Scheme Funding

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 30 April 2014

Wednesday, 30 April 2014

Questions (324, 325, 326, 327, 328, 329)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Question:

324. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection the annual budget of the JobBridge programme in 2011, 2012 and 2013; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18846/14]

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Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Question:

325. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide details on the number of JobBridge interns who have commenced their third internship since the recent rule changes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18847/14]

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Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Question:

326. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection the rules and timelines with regard to the cooling off period for host organisations participating in the JobBridge programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18848/14]

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Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Question:

327. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide details of the number of times the cooling off period has been reduced or waived since the commencement of the scheme; if she will provide a summary of the various reasons such action was taken; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18849/14]

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Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Question:

328. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of online monthly compliance reports which were due in January 2014 from host organisations participating in the JobBridge scheme; the number of online monthly compliance reports which were received on time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18850/14]

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Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Question:

329. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection the action her Department takes concerning host organisations which do not complete the online monthly compliance reports as required and on time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18851/14]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 324 to 329, inclusive, together.

The annual Budget for JobBridge in 2011, 2012 and 2013, as voted by the Oireachtas, was €20 million, €65.8 million, and €81.8 million, respectively.

54 individuals have started a third internship since the rules were changed last September. The change was made in response both to the recommendations of the independent evaluation of JobBridge and to the requests of individual jobseekers. The change facilitates a small number of jobseekers who consider that a further internship meets their own needs and improves their employability.

A host organisation may not, for a period of six months, take on another JobBridge intern in the same position as their previous JobBridge intern, except where the previous intern has moved directly into paid employment, either with the host organisation or another employer.

The Department will write directly to the Deputy as soon as possible with the following information which it is currently collating:

- details of the number of occasions on which the cooling-off period has been reduced or waived and summary of the reasons for such action; and

- the number of monthly online compliance reports due in January, 2014, and those that were submitted on time.

Where a host organisation does not complete the monthly online compliance on time a weekly reminder is sent to the host organisation. On the fourth week of non-compliance an e-mail is sent to the host organisation, and a text message is sent to the intern, to notify the host organisation that the compliance must be completed and that the internship may be ended if the report is not completed. Following the final reminder an officer of the Department contacts the host organisation to investigate the non-compliance. In cases of serious breach, the host organisation can be excluded from future participation in the scheme.

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