Mary Lou McDonald
Ceist:588. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide, in tabular form and year on year, the number of JobBridge interns taken on in his Department in 2013. [1396/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 15 January 2014
Ceisteanna (588)
Freagraí scríofa
My Department is actively engaging in the Government’s jobs activation programme through participating in the National Internship Scheme – JobBridge. This scheme provides work experience placements for interns for a 6 or 9 month period. The aim is to assist in breaking the cycle where jobseekers are unable to get a job without experience, either as new entrants to the labour market after education or training or as unemployed workers wishing to learn new skills.
I am advised that the number of interns who commenced a JobBridge placement in my Department since its inception in May 2011 is as outlined in the table:
|
Year |
Number |
|
2011 |
27 |
|
2012 |
50 |
|
2013 |
15 |
|
Total |
92 |
The Deputy will appreciate that the Department cannot offer full-time employment at the end of an internship period, as where exceptions to the moratorium on recruitment are permitted, recruitment to the Civil Service is typically governed by a process of open public competition organised under the aegis of the Public Appointments Service. JobBridge does, however, provide significant and in some cases challenging job experience opportunities to persons in need of such opportunities and better prepares them for either re-entry to the jobs market or a change in job direction.