Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection if a solution can be found under the jobbridge scheme to the dilemma faced by a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46384/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The National Internship Scheme provides internship opportunities of either 6 or 9 months for unemployed individuals on the Live Register, in organisations in the private, public and community voluntary sectors and at present is limited to individuals who are in receipt of a live claim (Jobseekers Allowance/Jobseekers Benefit/One Parent Family Payment/Disability Allowance) or signing on for credits for at least 3 of the last 6 months (78 Days).

The eligibility to access the National Internship Scheme is based on the overall objective of Labour Market policy in ensuring a pathway to appropriate employment, training and education opportunities for those on the Live Register. It is important that as employment opportunities become available they are taken up by those on the Live Register. The structure for achieving this objective is through a reinvigorated National Employment Action Plan (NEAP) which currently provides the framework for engaging with the unemployed.

Given the scale of the unemployment crisis, the key objective of the Labour Market policy and of the NEAP will be to keep those on the Live Register close to the Labour Market and prevent the drift into long-term unemployment. As such, the policy objective is to prioritise scarce resources on those on the Live Register so as to increase their chances of leaving it.