Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The reason they do so is because they provide additional capacity. We have a limited number of staff. They are all tied up in Intreo offices and with their current work. We needed more capacity and the experience of companies involved in recruitment and successfully placing people in jobs. That is what they are doing.

I will definitely look into the issue of training costs. What happened certainly sounds like it should not have happened.

To return to what I said earlier, there are many people who may wish to work in a school but, for some reason, cannot do so and must work somewhere else. There are many people working hard and paying taxes who do not necessarily have the job of their choice or dreams. They are the ones who pay for the welfare system. It is not the case that somebody can continue to draw down a welfare payment and refuse employment. That is not an opinion; it is actually the law.

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