Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

I emphasise there is no question of people being displaced by those on the internship scheme. I expect the Deputy would welcome the usage of the scheme, as it will specifically give some unemployed people in his constituency an opportunity to gain skills and competencies to re-enter the workforce in the difficult circumstances that exist in the context of the large number of individuals unemployed due to our economic difficulties.

My Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform are in regular contact about ensuring the Garda vetting unit remains in a position to carry out its functions efficiently. That contact must take place against the background of the general strictures that apply to public service numbers. As the Deputy acknowledged, these appointments are temporary and they were always understood to be so. I want to emphasise that decisions taken on contract employees are not based in any way on developments relating to the JobBridge scheme. They are two separate matters but I accept the case Deputy Coonan made to me privately and the case the Deputy has made that these are skilled staff who have been engaged in this unit for some time and whose work is valued. However, they are temporary employees. Their contracts were previously extended at my request when they were about to expire earlier this year and I am aware the contracts of the ten people mentioned by the Deputy are due to expire shortly. That is a matter in respect of which I am engaged with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

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