Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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118. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will introduce a new advance filtering system to prevent potentially odious positions from gaining access to JobBridge; and if she will review and report on the effectiveness of existing provisions in this regard. [3525/14]

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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129. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if it is acceptable for companies using the JobBridge scheme to request a PhD as the minimum educational requirement to be held by applicants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3673/14]

Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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131. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she has any concerns that companies requiring interns under the JobBridge scheme to have PhDs in a particular field may be using such highly qualified persons to displace staff or to avoid job creation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3672/14]

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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137. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider prohibiting the use of the JobBridge scheme for posts aimed at PhD holders; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3590/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 118, 129, 131 and 137 together.

Following the independent evaluation of JobBridge, the Department is examining a range of measures to make the scheme more effective. I am satisfied that the current robust vetting procedures carried out by the National Contact Centre of the Department are operating effectively to filter out internships that do not meet the rigorous requirements of the scheme criteria.

JobBridge is giving opportunities to jobseekers across the spectrum of qualifications. Given the numbers of unemployed jobseekers holding graduate and post-graduate qualifications, it is obviously necessary that JobBridge is in a position to offer them an internship that reflects their abilities, aspirations and qualifications. In this regard a previous criticism directed at the Department was that the terms of its jobseeker payments prevented jobseekers, including graduate jobseekers, from taking up internship opportunities as a route into employment. JobBridge addresses this issue and I am satisfied that it is appropriate that it so do.