I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 and 55 together.
JobBridge includes a range of control and monitoring measures. Host organisations must give undertakings to meet rigorous scheme criteria before participating, they must complete regular compliance returns during the course of any internship, internships cannot reduce paid positions, there are limits on the number of internships that any one organisation can host and cooling off periods are used to prevent successive use of internships. In addition Internships are monitored extensively and any allegations of abuse are investigated as a priority. To date, more than 15,000 host organisations have participated in the scheme, and out of this number only 45 have been excluded from participation for a range of reasons related to non-compliance with the scheme criteria. An independent evaluation of JobBridge found only minimal levels of displacement but the Department remains vigilant for any potential adverse impact of JobBridge upon the normal operation of the labour market.
As at 30th October, 2014, 34,636 individual internships had commenced since July, 2011, and 28,192 internships had finished. An independent evaluation of JobBridge found that 61% of former interns had moved into employment 5 months or more after the completion of their internship. This indicates that c 17,000 of the c 28,000 interns who have completed their internship moved into employment. I attach a table giving the number of JobBridge internships in the Civil Service.
Table 1. – Civil Service Internships
As at 15th October 2014
|
-
|
Finishers
|
Current Interns
|
Total Interns
|
|
D/Agriculture Food and Marine
|
16
|
0
|
16
|
|
D/Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht
|
9
|
0
|
9
|
|
D/Communications, Energy and Natural Resources
|
32
|
11
|
43
|
|
D/Defence
|
4
|
0
|
4
|
|
D/Education and Skills
|
8
|
1
|
9
|
|
D/Environment, Community and Local Government
|
15
|
0
|
15
|
|
D/Finance
|
4
|
0
|
4
|
|
D/Health
|
13
|
1
|
14
|
|
D/Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation
|
9
|
1
|
10
|
|
D/Justice and Equality
|
98
|
4
|
102
|
|
D/Public Expenditure and Reform
|
26
|
3
|
29
|
|
D/Social Protection
|
9
|
0
|
9
|
|
D/Taoiseach
|
6
|
2
|
8
|
|
D/ Transport, Tourism and Sport
|
7
|
1
|
8
|
|
Houses of the Oireachtas
|
8
|
0
|
8
|
|
Office of the Attorney General
|
5
|
0
|
5
|
|
Chief State Solicitor's Office
|
4
|
0
|
4
|
|
Comptroller and Auditor General’s Office
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
|
Ombudsman’s Office
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
|
Pensions Ombudsman's Office
|
5
|
0
|
5
|
|
Office of the Secretary General to the President
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
|
Revenue Commissioners
|
19
|
0
|
19
|
|
Valuation Office
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
|
Totals
|
306
|
24
|
330
|
