Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 to 7, inclusive, together.

My Department recently recruited two administrative officers, three temporary clerical officers and a service attendant. My Department operates within an employment control framework ceiling of 181 which was determined by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The Department currently has a whole-time equivalent staff of 179.98.

My Department recently assumed some new responsibilities following the assignment of Ministers of State with responsibility for the diaspora, data protection and the Irish Financial Services Centre. Some additional resources are being assigned to meet these responsibilities, in part through secondment of staff from elsewhere in the Civil Service. There are also currently two JobBridge interns in my Department on nine-month internships.

Since 2012 my Department has hosted eight internships under the JobBridge national internship scheme. The internships have all been in policy divisions within the Department of the Taoiseach. The work experience given to our JobBridge interns includes research, communications, policy analysis, summarising of data, report drafting and networking. JobBridge interns are given training in desk research and information gathering. They also work with internal document management systems, perform data entry and apply themselves to financial management, general administration and other office duties. Interns are given practical experience of how central Government works and learn about policy-making structures and initiatives across Government Departments. Broadly, JobBridge interns get hands-on experience in various aspects of the work of my Department and leave with an enhanced understanding of Government policy. In line with the JobBridge scheme requirements, each intern is assigned a mentor during his or her full internship in my Department. At the end of their internships and, again, in line with JobBridge scheme requirements, interns are given a reference and a host organisation evaluation form for their own use. The JobBridge internship scheme has, to date, proven rewarding both for participating interns and for my Department.

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