Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I appreciate the opportunity to raise the issue of genuine confusion about eligibility for JobBridge. I refer, specifically, to the eligibility of young graduates.

JobBridge is acknowledged to be an excellent scheme and an ideal opportunity, in a recession, for young people to be eased into the workforce. However, it seems that a large cohort of young graduates are ineligible to participate. I speak about graduates who are living at home, largely because they have no jobs, and because they are assessed on family income, they are not eligible for jobseeker's allowance which, in turn, prohibits them from participating in the graduate scheme.

In a recent reply to a parliamentary question, the Minister informed me that signing on for credits would entitle a graduate to participate after the requisite 78 days. My concern is twofold. First, a graduate who is ineligible for jobseeker's allowance and who has never paid a PRSI contribution - has never had a job - cannot sign on for credits and is, therefore, ineligible to participate in the scheme. Second, there is a lack of clarity regarding those who have paid PRSI, perhaps as part of a summer job, and their eligibility. The Department's website says one is eligible if one has paid a contribution in the last two years. Someone in the Minister's Department told me one is eligible if one has ever paid a PRSI contribution. Several cases have come to my attention of graduates who have worked and paid contributions but have been told they are ineligible for JobBridge. There seems to be inconsistency in this regard.

I ask the Minister to clarify the rules that pertain in these cases and to ensure that all social welfare offices are clear about the criteria. My main concern is the graduates who are not in receipt of jobseeker's allowance and who have never worked. The rules are clear. They are precluded from the scheme. For them there is a vicious circle in that because they cannot get a job, they cannot sign on and because they cannot sign on, they cannot apply for JobBridge and are disadvantaged in the jobs market. Given that they are forced through unemployment to live at home and, therefore, be assessed on their parents' incomes, they will be precluded from the scheme forever. The Gradlink scheme, which was subsumed into JobBridge, was aimed, specifically, at this group and it seems unfair that they are precluded.

First, is it possible to relax the rules? I realise there are financial implications, but I am sure people who have no jobs and recognise that they are ineligible for jobseeker's allowance or benefit would be willing to participate in JobBridge, even for the top-up payment of €50. Second, can the Minister clarify the question of PRSI contributions? What is required in terms of the number and timing of contributions? Can those criteria be made absolutely clear to offices throughout the country?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I am delighted to have an opportunity to reply to the matter raised by Deputy Mitchell.

The JobBridge scheme is the Government's national internship scheme. It will provide up to 5,000 places for those seeking employment, with an internship opportunity of six to nine months in an organisation in the private, public or community and voluntary sectors. During this time participants will receive an allowance which will consist of a €50 per week top-up to their existing social welfare entitlements.

There are, currently, 2,500 internships advertised on the JobBridge website and just over 2,000 people have commenced an internship. That includes about 625 people who transferred from the FÁS work placement programme, where no top-up was paid. The rest are people who started with the JobBridge internship programme.

In order for an individual to be eligible to participate in JobBridge, the national internship scheme, an individual must be currently in receipt of a live claim, that is, jobseeker's allowance, jobseeker's benefit or signing for credit, on the live register and have been in receipt of jobseeker's benefit, jobseeker's allowance or signing on for social insurance contribution credits for a total of 78 days or more in the last six months.

A recent graduate signing for credits will be eligible to participate in JobBridge 78 days from the day they first signed on. A person may qualify for credits if they have one paid contribution and do not have a two year gap in their social insurance record when they sign on. If the graduate has never worked, he or she is not eligible to participate in the scheme. However, graduates who are not eligible for JobBridge can avail of the work placement programme. Anyone who is unemployed is eligible to apply for the work placement programme. It is another work experience programme that allows graduates to continue to develop and improve their skills in a work environment.

The scheme has been extremely successful. It has been going for 16 weeks and we have more than 1,400 participants. It is not a graduate only scheme. There is no requirement that a participant would have graduated. It is, however, suitable for people who have completed a certain level of education or training. Some are graduates or, indeed, postgraduates. The scheme is proving extremely popular. Many employers have offered to take part and host internships.

I will bear in mind what the Deputy has said. The scheme came with conditionality in relation to taking people off the live register. That was one of the IMF conditions that we acceded to. I am conscious of the situation the Deputy describes. We are amending the scheme as we go along where we can get the agreement of the Department of Finance. It came with certain conditionality. However, there is a great deal of enthusiasm about the scheme. It is new to Ireland and we are listening very carefully to any criticisms that are offered. That is the experience of the host employers, of applicants and of those who have commenced internships.

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I appreciate the Minister's response. There is a realisation that the group of people of whom I speak fall between all stools.

I am aware of the work placement programme but it is not geared toward graduates. There is a real need for graduate internships. Graduates, particularly in technical or scientific areas, de-skill very quickly if they do not get work opportunities. I am delighted the Minister recognises the need to be flexible and may respond in time to this group.

I take it that the requirement is that an applicant must have made a PRSI contribution in the previous two years.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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We are keeping the scheme under review. It has been extremely successful. We are limited overall to 5,000 places over a two year period but we will continue to examine the eligibility criteria. The scheme is a labour activation measure. We have agreed with the IMF that people who have been on the live register should be given encouragement options to go back to work or to take part in training. We have clarified that people who are coming directly from training courses can proceed to JobBridge. Last Friday, I was pleased to be involved with Skillnets when 25 people, principally engineers, had received training in areas such as medical devices and were about to participate in JobBridge.

There are many innovations in the scheme. I remain open to innovate further as the opportunity arises, subject of course to the agreement of my colleague, the Minister for Finance.