National Internship Scheme Data

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 31 March 2015

Tuesday, 31 March 2015

Ceisteanna (212, 216, 217, 221, 227, 245)

Paul Murphy

Ceist:

212. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 77 of 15 July 2014, since that reply issued, the number of investigations that have taken place following complaints made by interns on the JobBridge scheme; the number of these that resulted in a finding against a host organisation; the number of companies that have been banned from the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13016/15]

Paul Murphy

Ceist:

216. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 27 of 5 March 2014, if, since that reply issued, any Department or statutory body has been banned from making use of the JobBridge Scheme. [13020/15]

Paul Murphy

Ceist:

217. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of persons that have taken part in the JobBridge scheme in the Fingal, South Dublin, Dún Laoghaire Rathdown, Dublin City, County Carlow and County Kilkenny local authority areas; the number that are ongoing; and the number that are completed. [13021/15]

Ruth Coppinger

Ceist:

221. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 95 of 15 July 2015, the number of companies that have been banned from using the JobBridge scheme; the names of those companies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13028/15]

Mattie McGrath

Ceist:

227. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the way the top-up payment of €50 for those currently on the JobBridge scheme was determined; her views that this amount is fair; her plans to increase it; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13141/15]

Tom Fleming

Ceist:

245. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on the report by the European Court of Auditors which stated three major risks to the success of the JobBridge scheme, namely, insufficient funding, jobs that do not lead to real employment and the absence of proper monitoring to ensure the schemes deliver; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13308/15]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 212, 216, 217, 221, 227 and 245 together.

Since 15th July, 2014, a total of 108 JobBridge complaints have been recorded on the Department’s centralized complaints facility. As a matter of course, all complaints are investigated. As at 27th March, 2015, a total of 43 host organisations had been disqualified from participation in the scheme. Since 15th July, 2014, 9 host organisations had been disqualified indefinitely from participation in the scheme and 7 others are excluded for shorter periods of time.

None of the host organisations excluded from participation in JobBridge was a Government Department or statutory body.

I am including in table 1 numbers of internships in Dublin, Carlow and Kilkenny. In total, 13,564 internships have commenced in those areas, of which 11,727 are completed and 1,837 are in progress.

The level of the weekly top-up for interns was determined in view of additional expenses that may be incurred by participants over and above the expenses of the job search they would be undertaking in any case. There are no plans to increase the level of weekly top-up.

The Department is examining the contents of Special report no 3/2015 of the European Court of Auditors on implementation of the EU Youth Guarantee in 5 Member States including Ireland. The risks referred to by the Deputy do not refer specifically to Ireland. It is worth noting that the Court found that only Ireland had made reference to the mutual obligation in activation measures of National Authorities and jobseekers and that Ireland’s implementation report “focused extensively on the Youth Guarantee” unlike other Member States.

Table 1. Internships in Dublin, Carlow and Kilkenny

County/District	On Internship	Grand Total
CARLOW	83	495
DUBLIN 1	112	947
DUBLIN 10	38	146
DUBLIN 11	60	341
DUBLIN 12	100	724
DUBLIN 13	7	70
DUBLIN 14	38	244
DUBLIN 15	120	769
DUBLIN 16	15	110
DUBLIN 17	34	200
DUBLIN 18	58	506
DUBLIN 2	293	2748
DUBLIN 20	11	81
DUBLIN 22	53	413
DUBLIN 24	82	637
DUBLIN 3	52	338
DUBLIN 4	60	653
DUBLIN 5	18	90
DUBLIN 6/6W	48	377
DUBLIN 7	93	483
DUBLIN 8	113	753
DUBLIN 9	44	353
DUBLIN NORTH COUNTY - FINGAL	108	700
DUBLIN WEST COUNTY	28	125
DUN LAOGHAIRE - RATHDOWN	82	696
KILKENNY	87	565
Grand Total	1837	13564