Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 110: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that an organisation (details supplied) has called for the qualifying period for JobBridge eligibility to be reduced from three months on the live register to four weeks, this call being aimed at helping more recently qualified graduates to be eligible for the scheme and to ensure maximum take up of the scheme by unemployed graduates; her view on same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29312/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I am aware of the call from the Union of Students of Ireland to reduce the JobBridge qualifying period from three months to four weeks. However, it should be noted one of the policy objectives of the JobBridge scheme is to prioritise scarce resources on those on the Live Register so as to increase their chances of leaving it thereby ensuring a reduction in Exchequer costs over time.

It should also be noted that approximately 60% of individuals who first sign onto the Live Register actually sign off within the first three months. Reducing the three month eligibility period would have implications for this factor and consequently increase the Live Register cost to the Exchequer. The optimum time for interventions of this nature is set therefore at three months which represents a reasonable timeframe within which graduates and others who have become unemployed can seek employment. It is not therefore intended to change eligibility criterion.