Vol. 452 No. 5
4 Miss M. Wallace asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will operate the students summer job scheme for 1995 on the same basis as 1994, thus allowing all students over the age of 18 to participate in the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8281/95]
Following the successful uptake of last year's summer students jobs scheme when over 2,200 sponsors offered in excess of 11,000 jobs and over 9,000 third level students participated during their summer holidays, I have decided to run the scheme again this year from 1 June to 30 September in an improved form. Last year a very wide and impressive range of activities were undertaken by the students who took up jobs in areas such as health care, sporting activity, youth work and general community work such as tourism, summer camps, credit unions, art centres etc. This year an equally impressive and wide range of jobs has been offered by sponsors. Already to date this year some 2,262 sponsors have offered just over 16,000 jobs, which is a substantial increase in the number offered last year.
This scheme, which has been in operation for two years, has been of significant benefit to both the students who took part and their local communities. It provides third level students with valuable work experience and contributes significant benefits to their local communities at the same time. It also helps to foster a self-help ethic among local communities and provides them with a valuable resource which is funded by my Department. Much of the valuable community work undertaken could not have been done without the benefit of the scheme.
Because of the success of last year's scheme and in recognition of the valuable contribution made by students to their local communities, I obtained a significant additional allocation of £1 million in the budget for improvements in this year's scheme. This has allowed me to make the following improvements: an increase from £540 to £600 in the maximum amount payable under the scheme with the hourly rate of pay increased from £2.82 to £3; a special additional allowance of £1 per hour worked will be paid to those students whose parents' only income is social welfare at the end of the scheme; an increase in the maximum number of hours from 192 to 200 and the introduction of a telephone line so that students or sponsors can make known their problems or any suggestions they have for improving the scheme. Applications this year have been invited from third level students and students on post-leaving certificate courses.
I am delighted the Minister praised the scheme this year as both he and his party were not too happy with it in the past. As we have seen from the work in various communities, this is an excellent scheme. Students who sat their leaving certificate in 1994 were allowed to participate in the scheme during the summer of that year. Will students who sit their leaving certificate in June be able to participate in the scheme during the summer?
I objected to the scheme in the past because the rates of pay were too low and many people who had means of £15 per week assessed against them were excluded from it. I have improved the scheme this year by increasing the amount of money paid and exempting the students from the payment of tax and insurance. In addition, I have eliminated the £15 threshold students have to meet. Even if they are assessed — it is a desk rather than a home assessment — as having means they will be entitled to participate in the scheme.
On the question of participation by second level students, as I have indicated, post-leaving certificate students can be taken on. However, the scheme is specifically aimed at third level students, it is not intended for second level students. As the Deputy will be aware, her party, which introduced the scheme, eliminated the right of second level students to receive unemployment assistance for three months after they sit their leaving certificate. They are precluded from the scheme.
Since the time available to us for dealing with priority questions is exhausted I am dealing with Questions Nos. 4 and 5 in ordinary time. I will hear supplementaries from Deputy Wallace and others if they so desire.
I am particularly worried by the Minister's reply. Students who sat their leaving certificate in June 1994 participated in the scheme during the summer of that year. Is the Minister saying that there has been a change this year and that he will not allow the students who sit their leaving certificate in June to participate in the scheme during the summer? If this is the case, many students will be greatly disappointed. I hope I am wrong but this is what the Minister seems to be saying. Many leaving certificate students who hope to attend third level colleges in the autumn have applied to participate in the scheme. There seems to be uncertainty about whether they can participate and I would like the Minister to clarify the position.
The Minister referred to the financial improvements he made this year. While the students of families on social welfare will get an extra £1 per hour, it is hard on those students whose parents are on a low income and who will not get this extra money. Would it not have been better to have spread the money among all the students participating in the scheme? We are talking about students. My main concern is about the leaving certificate students of June 1995 who plan to go to third level colleges in the autumn.
I thought the Deputy would have suggested that the additional money for students whose parents are on social welfare could have been used to employ some second level students but she did not.
I am not talking about second level students.
The Deputy is suggesting that this money be distributed among those currently eligible.
The main——
Let us hear the Minister.
This scheme was introduced as a third level students' scheme, not a second level students' scheme.
If the scheme is the same as it was in 1994, I am happy.
Let us hear the Minister out. The Chair will permit further supplementaries.
The Deputy is wrong. Whatever the previous Minister may have done by way of bending the rules, that is a matter for him and the Deputy to sort out.
The Minister changed it.
This is a scheme aimed at third level students. Earlier this year the Department of Education confirmed that 8,463, or 14 per cent, of the students sitting the leaving certificate in 1994 were over 18 years of age on 1 January 1994 and at least another 3,000 were 18 years of age by 1 June 1994. We are talking about an additional 11,000 second level students. Bearing in mind that the budget for this scheme is intended to employ——
They are not second level students; they have finished second level and are third level students.
They are not third level students until they sign up for a third level course. The Deputy has to make up her mind — they are either second level or third level students. If they are third level students, they have already started a third level course.
They are not second level students.
Please, Deputy Wallace, you asked questions, please be good enough to listen to the reply.
This scheme is for third level students, to whom it is being applied.
It is different from last year.
I am afraid I will have to go on to the next question.
This scheme was introduced by the former Minister for Social Welfare, Deputy Woods, for third level students. If he and the Deputy fiddled the scheme last year, they will have to answer for it to the Committee of Public Accounts, not to me.
I welcome the Minister's acknowledgement of the success of the scheme last year. Certainly it was castigated in the House when it was introduced and Deputy Woods was under enormous pressure. Like my colleagues, I am disappointed that the Minister is categorising the students. An 18-year-old student sitting his leaving certificate will not now be able to avail of the scheme because he may not be eligible. What provision is being made to make students aware of the sponsors? How quickly will the information be available in relation to availing of particular schemes in their local area? Again, I acknowledge the Minister's recognition of the success of the scheme which is a total reverse of his position last year.
Contrary to what the Deputy said, it is not a total reversal of my position. I have carried out significant improvements to this scheme which have eliminated a considerable number of the objections I had to it, which I have already pointed out, relating to the low level of pay. The lack of protection of students in terms of injuries is now covered by way of public liability insurance which is covered by the Department of Social Welfare.
In addition, extra payments are being provided for students whose parents are solely dependent on social welfare. I have extended the number of hours they can work; I have introduced a system whereby they can work all the hours within six weeks but they may not work more than 35 hours per week. They can complete the 12 week job within six weeks if that suits them and receive the full amount of money within that six weeks. They are then free to continue to work, to go abroad, to study, or do whatever they wish. In addition, students whose families are solely on social welfare will receive a bonus of £200 before they return to college which will be useful in terms of buying books, equipment and so on. The scheme has been improved significantly. I have also eliminated the £15 per week threshold. Under the previous administration, a student assessed as entitled to £15 or less unemployment assistance did not qualify for the scheme. That has been eliminated. If that person continued to qualify for unemployment assistance, even though they may only be entitled to £5, they will now qualify for a job which will earn them £600 at least and possibly £800. That is a significant improvement in the scheme and far better than it was last year. There is no question of my reversing my position on it.
On the question of how information is promoted, posters have been printed for all the colleges. A book of sponsors has been printed and is available to all who want it. A telephone line has been provided whereby students can telephone for material and have it sent out to them. At colleges and so forth where I have spoken I have mentioned the scheme. The number of applications from third level students this year far outweighed the number of applications received last year.
