Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 626: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he runs a graduate internship programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41367/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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My Department has been offering temporary work experience opportunities for a number of years through an Intern Scheme and, under the FÁS Work Placement Programme, focusing primarily, but not exclusively, on law graduates and final year law students.

Since July 2011, my Department is actively engaging in the Government's new National Internship Scheme - JobBridge. We have advertised internship opportunities across a range of vocational areas including the legislative area, statistics, procurement, customer relations and general administration. To date 21 individuals have taken up JobBridge placements in my Department (10 of whom were graduates). In all cases a mentor has been appointed to the intern to provide support and guidance and ensure that the intern benefits from specific learning outcomes, associated with that internship opportunity.

The National Internship Scheme provides opportunities for the Department, and the Civil Service generally, to assist in the process of national recovery. My Department can provide significant and in some cases challenging job experience opportunities to persons in need of such opportunities and better prepare them for either re-entry to the jobs market or a change in job direction.