Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

Did he not do well? He served a very interesting internship. Like interns, internees have very few rights as well. The purpose of the amendment was to try to ensure, even though it is specified in the legislation interns are not employees, that interns should still get as much protection as we can afford to give them so that the rights and conditions we have managed to secure over the years for employees are fully reflected for them. Such an arrangement would, hopefully, provide additional protection against any type of exploitation. The intention was not to introduce any type of restriction which would make the scheme unworkable.

The scheme has a purpose. The additional payment of €50 is welcome. I was not fully aware of that previously. However, I question the adequacy of it for a person travelling to work on a full-time basis and needing to get lunch every day. Many people would even give up €50 of the meagre jobseeker's allowance if at the end of their internship they were guaranteed a job. I reiterate my call to impress upon employers if at all possible that they are not prevented from topping up the payment or offering a lump sum at the end of an internship to those interns who have played a positive role and have contributed to a business.

I support the call for people who are signing on for credits to also be allowed to avail of the opportunity to participate in the scheme as, often, they are the very ones who will emigrate because they cannot get jobseeker's allowance because the household income is taken into account. Young people whose parents work are often the ones who will emigrate because they may have some money behind them. Some of them are students who have graduated from college. We must ensure that everyone in society who is on jobseeker's benefit, whether they are signing for credit or a payment should be able to avail of the scheme. The social welfare trap that exists must be closed off. There are many such loopholes. I have spoken to the Minister about one or two others that are not relevant to the debate.

I accept that there should be an ongoing evaluation process to see whether an internship has been successful to ensure that we have a system that reflects the best possible practice so that one does not have abuse. Employers who abuse the system should be blacklisted from participation in the scheme. The message should go out strongly from the start that abuse will not be tolerated.

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