Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

I have stated on many occasions that the internship schemes are simply for the purpose of cynically manipulating the unemployment figures to the benefit of the Government and to provide cheap labour for employers, and I want to ask the Minister of State a number of specific questions. Has the moratorium on public sector employment meant that no jobs could be offered to interns? If so, was the Minister of State confirming the abuse of interns as yellow-pack and free labour? Is it true that the Taoiseach's Department took on interns for responsible jobs, such as international communications, policy analyst and researcher? Did they get jobs? How many were taken on in internship in the Department of Social Protection?

3 o’clock

How many got jobs in the Department on completion of their internships? Has a Department been among the companies or organisations banned from using internships because of abuse or misuse?

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