Michelle Mulherin (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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294. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider changing the requirement of JobBridge, the national internship scheme, that a host organisation must have at least one employee to be eligible so that sole traders can participate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53752/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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JobBridge, the National Internship Scheme, was launched on 1^st July, 2011 as part of the Government’s Jobs Initiative. JobBridge provides work experience placements for those on the Live Register for a 6 or 9 month period to assist in breaking the cycle where jobseekers are unable to get a job without experience, either as new entrants to the labour market after education or training or as unemployed workers wishing to learn new skills.

The Department requires that JobBridge host organisations have at least one full-time employee for the benefit and the protection of interns and to ensure the integrity of the scheme. The Department considers that this requirement is necessary to ensure that the host organisation can offer the intern a high-quality, real-workplace experience. The Department also considers that the support and example of workplace colleagues is a necessary part of the internship experience and that this is critical in enhancing the experience for the intern. The Department is not in a position to make exceptions to this requirement.

Those sole traders who have at least one full-time employee are in a position to become JobBridge host organisations.

If an individual has any queries relating to the operation of the JobBridge Scheme, they may contact the JobBridge team via the Contact Us section of the JobBridge website