Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I did not actually ask that broader question but I thank the Minister for his comments none the less. In regard to Vote 17, on the Public Appointments Service and the moratorium on recruitment, I ask about the use of the JobBridge scheme. I refer specifically to the statute law revision programme, which is led and managed by two legal professionals as project director and manager, who are engaged under contract with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Three researchers took up placements under JobBridge to carry out a very important technical and, perhaps, expert task. Over 2012 and 2013, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform took on 21 JobBridge interns to carry out this legal and research work. I do not have figures for other Departments but I am interested in getting them. I understand the individuals concerned were taken on to do a piece of work and were then replaced. I raise the issue because this is clearly a project that needs to be completed and there is a gap in the system for people who are qualified. I ask the Minister why he opted to use the JobBridge scheme to access these researchers.