I propose to take Questions Nos. 300, 303 to 305, inclusive, and 364 together.
The JobBridge Scheme was launched on 1st July 2011. A total of 23,235 placements have commenced to-date. Please see Table 1 for a breakdown by county. The evaluation report conducted by Indecon Economic Consultants found that 61% of all participants progressed into paid employment within 5 months of completing their internship. This is one of the best progression outcomes in Europe for work placement schemes.
While 47% of placements are completed in full, 53% of placements finish early. According to the Indecon evaluation report, the main reason cited by participants for early completion (according to 63.1% of participants) was that they secured employment while 32.7% of participants cited dissatisfaction with their placement as the reason for early completion. The progression outcomes into employment for early finishers are very encouraging. However, in order to address the dissatisfaction levels, I have extended the number of placements available on the Scheme and increased the maximum cumulative duration of internships. This measure has been introduced to give jobseekers that are dissatisfied with their choice of internship more flexibility in finding a suitable alternative placement. I have also increased the number of on-site monitoring visits.
The Department is not in a position to release the names of schools currently participating in the Scheme. However, I can advise the Deputy that while there are currently over 6,300 jobseekers participating on the Scheme, only 22 placements are being undertaken in a teaching capacity.
Over 10,000 companies have participated in the Scheme, of which, 31 companies have been disqualified from participating due to breaches of the Scheme. The over-whelming majority of companies are abiding by the terms and conditions of the Scheme.
The total number of JobBridge complaints received by the Department since the scheme commenced in July 2011 is 313. These complaints relate primarily to the following areas: - Standard Agreement not completed/adhered to; - Inadequate mentoring/support; - Inadequate training and development; - Displacement related issues; - Poor quality advertisements; - Intern working excessive hours; - Non-compliance with Scheme criteria.
All such complaints are fully investigated. In addition, my Department has conducted over 3,700 monitoring visits to-date. Encouragingly, 98% of these visits are satisfactory. Remedial action is taken in all cases of non-compliance.
Table 1: Breakdown By County
County
|
Finished
|
Current
|
Total
|
DUBLIN
|
5848
|
1998
|
7846
|
CORK
|
1638
|
566
|
2204
|
GALWAY
|
1116
|
381
|
1497
|
LIMERICK
|
838
|
360
|
1198
|
WATERFORD
|
582
|
209
|
791
|
DONEGAL
|
543
|
233
|
776
|
KILDARE
|
566
|
210
|
776
|
TIPPERARY
|
522
|
214
|
736
|
KERRY
|
476
|
200
|
676
|
WEXFORD
|
497
|
178
|
675
|
MAYO
|
381
|
198
|
579
|
LOUTH
|
408
|
165
|
573
|
WESTMEATH
|
399
|
147
|
546
|
MEATH
|
366
|
161
|
527
|
CLARE
|
355
|
159
|
514
|
WICKLOW
|
379
|
104
|
483
|
SLIGO
|
306
|
136
|
442
|
MONAGHAN
|
261
|
135
|
396
|
KILKENNY
|
255
|
81
|
336
|
LAOIS
|
231
|
92
|
323
|
CARLOW
|
220
|
86
|
306
|
CAVAN
|
207
|
99
|
306
|
OFFALY
|
197
|
81
|
278
|
ROSCOMMON
|
116
|
59
|
175
|
LONGFORD
|
132
|
38
|
170
|
LEITRIM
|
75
|
31
|
106
|
Grand Total
|
16,914
|
6,321
|
23,235
|