Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I have just outlined for the Deputy an extensive set of measures that are in place. In view of the fact that more than 13,000 people who have taken part in JobBridge, the number of complaints received have been extremely low in number. Where we have found that there is good cause to the complaint, as I told the Deputy, 15 host organisations have been excluded from further participation in JobBridge as a consequence of those control activities. We have a series of monitoring visits in place. More than 1,700 monitoring visits have taken place so far to different organisations that have hosted JobBridge internships.

More importantly, we asked Indecon consultants to conduct very detailed research into the outcome of JobBridge, and the good news, which I am sure the Deputy will want to hear, is that over 60% of the people who acquired a JobBridge internship have gone on to secure further employment. That is a placement rate far in excess of most schemes seeking to provide employment for people who have been out of the workforce for a long period of time or who have acquired qualifications. Unfortunately, some of the people on the JobBridge schemes have been extraordinarily qualified, bright graduates who, because of the current state of the labour market, have found it difficult to get a first job or experience in their particular field. The feedback from a significant number of people who have taken on an internship and also from the employers that have hosted the internships has been for the most part extremely positive.

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