Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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78. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the classifications of employment which have been prohibited from utilising the JobBridge scheme; the number of positions which have been removed by her Department from the JobBridge scheme; the kind of positions removed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40054/14]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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This question is with regard to information recently publicised in the national media about certain positions being withdrawn from the JobBridge scheme.

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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JobBridge is a successful work experience scheme, the purpose of which is to break the vicious cycle whereby long-term unemployed people are unable to get work without experience but are unable to get experience without a job. All internships under JobBridge are, of course, voluntary. There is a limited number of occupations to which access to internships is restricted. These include placements in apprenticeship trades such as electricians and plumbing areas. In addition, sector-specific guidelines have been developed and applied for the use of internships in the child care, health and education sectors. These guidelines are published on the JobBridge website.

As the Deputy is aware, a number of cleaner and caretaker internships were recently advertised by some schools throughout the country. These internships did not satisfy the conditions of the JobBridge scheme and we have requested that they be withdrawn. The Department is working with the Department of Education and Skills to review the guidelines for the use of internships by schools to clarify what does, and does not, constitute appropriate use of JobBridge by schools. I expect this review to be completed shortly and a revised circular will be issued to the schools by the Department of Education and Skills.

Overall, participation in JobBridge has been very positive for the almost 34,000 persons who have participated to date.

The independent evaluation of the JobBridge scheme conducted by Indecon Economic Consultants found that 89% of interns stated that JobBridge had given them new skills while 96% of host organisations would recommend JobBridge to another employer.

In addition, the report also found that interns benefited from an increase in their self-confidence, the opportunity to gain quality work experience and the opportunity to establish a network of contacts.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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We are all aware that schools have to resort to desperate measures in some circumstances because of the huge cutbacks in the education sector over the past four years. Does the Minister of State agree it is reprehensible that schools should exploit those young people in this way? Does he agree it was exploitation because that is how the Minister described it? She said that exploiting one set of people to do good work for another less privileged is at the least questionable. Has any action been taken against the people and the schools involved in this exploitation? What guarantee can the Minister of State give us that it will not recur?

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I thank the Deputy. There were a limited number of advertisements for those positions. The Department has ensured they were taken down. A protocol is being developed between the Department and the Department of Education and Skills to review the guidelines to avoid similar incidents in future. A number of work activation schemes operate within the education sector, such as CE schemes and Tús. It is extremely successful and is beneficial for the schools involved and for the participants, who get valuable experience working in those schools. The answer is that the protocol identifying what is allowed under JobBridge within the educational sector is being developed and the Department of Education and Skills will circulate it very shortly

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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On the general question of JobBridge, I do not deny there have been some successes; I freely concede that. I acknowledge that some of those schemes operate to the benefit of schools. Nevertheless, there has been some disturbing evidence of abuse by employers of the JobBridge scheme. The scheme is constructed in such a way that the taxpayers are paying these people to work in the private sector. They also work in the public sector, but let us look at the private sector for the moment. A private employer can get the benefit of those people paid for by taxpayers money and yet some private employers have chosen to abuse that and waste taxpayers' money. This is semi-criminal behaviour. Why has the Government consistently refused to publish the names of those employers who have abused the scheme? Why does it continue to protect those fraudsters?

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I thank the Deputy for his positive remarks because JobBridge has worked extremely well, with 61% of people going into full-time employment within five months of participating in a JobBridge scheme. It shows the real benefit of helping people who are long-term unemployed to get experience and then get into work. The Deputy wants it both ways. He wants to say it is a positive experience and then say that people exploit it.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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It is positive - with exceptions.

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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There are very strong control measures. It has a very high level of inspection rate, to the highest of European standards. It also provides for people who are participating in JobBridge to send in complaints to the Department which are rigorously investigated.

The Deputy cannot have it both ways. He cannot say that he thinks it is a very good scheme, which has helped people get real experience where they have been able to get long-term jobs, and then be critical at the same time. It is like sitting on the fence. The Deputy wants it both ways.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister of State is suggesting that we ignore the abuse. He should publish the names of the people caught exploiting the scheme.