Martin Conway (Fine Gael)

I am delighted to hear Senator Cullinane's good news. I congratulate him on that.

I welcome today's announcement that the social welfare internship programme is to be rolled out. I look forward to hearing the details of it. I am disappointed with two elements of it. First, as has already been mentioned this morning, one has to be unemployed for three months before one can avail of the programme. Second, I understand that the internship programme will be limited to 5,000 places, which represents just over 1% of the 450,000 people in this country who are unemployed. Can the Leader ascertain whether there will be another phase of the internship programme? Will it be flexible? Will it facilitate a broad church of disciplines? Will it give young people who find themselves in this regrettable position an opportunity to improve their skills and participate in the workplace? It is a novel idea and a good one. It is a step in the right direction. I am afraid it may be too restrictive. Certainly, the numbers are very limited. Can the Leader tell us whether the Minister plans on increasing the number of people who can avail of this programme? Will the Minister consider abolishing the provision whereby one has to be unemployed for three months before one can benefit from it? Will she come to the House to give us an overall briefing on this programme in due course?