Vol. 552 No. 2
112 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if his Department will allow students, who have been refused a job certificate under the student summer jobs scheme due to means, to fill vacancies for sponsors of the scheme if they so wish; and if the places are not filled, whether these people could be considered for inclusion in the scheme. [12136/02]
The students summer jobs scheme was introduced to provide income support for less well-off students who were disqualified from receiving unemployment assistance during the summer months. The scheme allows students to take up part-time work in the community and to receive payment for this work.
While the level of projects on offer under the scheme has remained high over the past number of years, there has been a significant drop in student interest in the scheme. This is due to the wider availability of summer jobs and is a welcome trend.
113 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if his Department will double the guidelines for the student summer jobs scheme; and the cost of same to the Exchequer. [12137/02]
The primary aim of the students summer jobs scheme is to provide income support for less well-off students who are disqualified under social welfare legislation from receiving unemployment assistance during the summer months.
To qualify for participation in the scheme, students must satisfy a means test which is similar to the means test which applies to applicants for unemployment assistance. This is appropriate in that the scheme is intended to replace unemployment assistance for those concerned.
It is not possible, in the time available, to estimate the cost of changing the means test specifically for the students scheme as suggested. A total of €3.8 million has been provided in the Estimates of my Department for the scheme this year.
