Written answers

Tuesday, 17 May 2011

Department of Social Protection

Jobs Initiative

6:00 pm

Photo of Patrick O'DonovanPatrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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Question 237: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if the new government internship programme could facilitate apprenticeships on farms for those who wish to receive training in agriculture; and if there will be places for farmers among the 20,000 training places on the programme. [11657/11]

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Last week the Government announced the Jobs Initiative which contained an additional 20,900 training, education and work experience places for the unemployed. The new National Internship Scheme was one of the new measures contained in the Jobs Initiative and will provide 5,000 participants with a work experience opportunity for between 6 – 9 months in the public, private or community and voluntary sectors.

Under this scheme unemployed individuals who are on the Live Register and have been in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance / Benefit or signing on for credits for at least 3 months will be eligible to participate and will receive €50 in addition to their existing social welfare payment. The National Internship Scheme is not an apprenticeship nor will it contain a specific training element. However, it will provide participants with the opportunity to gain valuable work experience while maintaining close links with the labour market. Internships will only be provided in organisations that are a legal entity and have a minimum of 1 full time employee. If a farm qualifies under these criteria then they will be free to offer an internship opportunity.

In relation to the remaining 15,900 new activation places for the unemployed, they are in the education and training sectors and fall under the remit of my colleague the Minister for Education and Skills, Mr Ruairí Quinn T.D. I have been informed that farmers and other individuals will be able to access these additional places subject to their meeting the specific eligibility criteria of the relevant programmes.

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