I wish to advise the Deputy that in any given year, my Department facilitates a number of internships for students engaged in full-time or part-time further and higher education courses. Ordinarily these internships run throughout the academic year (i.e. September to May).
I have provided details of internships which were facilitated by my Department in 2021 below for the Deputy’s consideration:
- Legal Internships: My Department has developed partnerships with a number of Third Level Institutions in Ireland to facilitate applications from law students who wish to complete a legal internship with my Department.. The successful candidates are placed on an 8 month paid internship within my Department and the remuneration for this internship placement opportunity is in line with the first point of the Executive Officer PPC Salary Scale. During 2021, my Department facilitated 7 legal internships.
- Willing Able Mentoring programme: My Department also collaborates with ‘Ahead’ on their Willing Able Mentoring programme (WAM). This programme aims to promote access to the labour market for graduates with disabilities and to build the capacity of employers to integrate disability into the mainstream workplace. The remuneration for this internship placement opportunity is in line with the first point of the Executive Officer PPC Salary Scale. During 2021, my Department facilitated 2 internships from the Willing and Able Mentoring Programme.
- ICT Business Internship: My Department also works with Third Level Institutions to facilitate ICT business internship placements. The remuneration for this internship placement opportunity is in line with the first point of the Clerical Officer PPC Salary Scale. During 2021, my Department facilitated 1 person on the ICT business internship placement.
With regard to internship programmes undertaken by the agencies, bodies and offices under the aegis of my Department, the Deputy may wish to note that, on 30th November 2021, An Garda Síochánalaunched the first Garda Diversity Internship. The programme is in line with a key recommendation of the Report on the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland, which specifically identified a need for An Garda Síochána to strengthen its efforts to recruit a more diverse workforce through the development of an Access Programme, aligned with national inclusive education initiatives. Delivery of this programme fulfils an objective of the current police reform programme ‘A Policing Service for our Future’.
I am informed that 28 interns are now employed on the programme on a full-time, short-term basis; 13 third level graduates and 15 recent school leavers. I understand that graduate interns to this programme are employed on an 11-month contract which concludes at the end of November 2022, and that these interns are remunerated on a pro-rata basis at point 1 of the Executive Officer salary scale.
I am also informed that school-leaver interns are employed on a 9-month contract which concludes at the end of August 2022 and that these interns are remunerated on a pro rata basis at point 1 of the Clerical Officer salary scale. This internship aims to increase the accessibility and understanding of, and potential for, a career in An Garda Síochána for school-leavers and graduates, particularly those from groups typically underrepresented in the organisation.
I am informed that the Psychology Service of the Irish Prison Service (IPS) currently has the following students engaged in full-time or part-time internships/higher education courses:
- Two students are completing PhDs researching the National Violence Reduction Unit which is attached to the Midlands Prison and a review of a new model of engagement by the IPS and Probation Service with Life Sentence Prisoners.
- Five students are completing Masters in Applied Psychology – Mental Health, with University College Cork. These students are provided with placement experience two days per week from January to July each year as part of their Masters Programme. These five students are currently assigned to Arbour Hill Prison, Wheatfield Prison, Mountjoy Prison, Cork Prison and the Midlands Prison. There is no cost to the IPS.
Details of the number of interns in the Courts Service for the years 2020-2021 are provided in the following table. I am advised that these interns are paid the first point on the Clerical Officer Salary scale.
|
Year
|
Number of interns
|
|
2020
|
9
|
|
2021
|
12
|
|
2022
|
12
|
The Deputy may also wish to note that the Legal Aid Board facilitated 16 Third Level students on internships since 2021. I am advised that no remuneration was received by the interns and that the Board do not have a limit on internships accepted annually. I understand that the internships are both part time and full time and range from 2 weeks to 3 months.
I am informed that the Policing Authority runs a student internship programme each year and that the Authority usually accepts one student intern annually. Student Interns are remunerated at the first point of the Clerical Officer PPC scale and salary is pro-rated for the duration of the contract, and that in 2021/22 academic year this amounted to €9,773.
I am advised that the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) had 2 transition years students on work experience in 2019 – one student for 5 days and one for 10 days. I understand there was no cost to the CAB.
Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) supervise research projects in collaboration with National and International Universities and, as part of this work, supervise approximately 1-2 students per year. I am informed that these are usually short term projects but can extend up to 9 months, and that the students do not receive remuneration of any kind.
Insolvency Service of Ireland (ISI) currently has two legal interns, both of whom were recruited through my Department’s internship programme.
Finally, I have also included details of the number of interns in the International Protection Appeals Tribunal for the years 2018-2021 in the following table. I am advised that these internships were unpaid.
|
Year
|
Number of interns
|
|
2018
|
5
|
|
2019
|
8
|
|
2020
|
1
|
|
2021
|
1
|
