Last December a suite of new and expanded initiatives were announced which were designed to provide assistance to the unemployed, with a particular focus on graduates and apprentices. These included the creation of a new €20 million multi-annual higher education labour market fund, an expanded redundant apprentice placement scheme for up to 1,000 apprentices, 700 places in the institutes of technology for redundant apprentices to complete their training, 5,000 places on a new skills development and internship programme and the expansion of the work placement programme from 5,000 to 7,500 places.

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