Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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244. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons that it is estimated will participate on JobBridge in 2014; the average cost of the scheme per participant; and the estimated total cost of the scheme for the year 2014. [30227/14]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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253. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the total cost of the €50 top-ups paid to JobBridge participants in 2013 and expected cost for 2014; the number of persons on a JobBridge placement now and the average number who conclude or leave their JobBridge placement each month. [30236/14]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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260. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of staff working in the JobBridge division of her Department. [30245/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 244, 253 and 260 together.

Based on number of starters in 2014 to end of June, it is estimated that 11,844 individuals will start internships in 2014. The average weekly cost per participant was €233.67 in May, 2014. €82.3m has been budgeted for 2014 for the JobBridge scheme.

The Department does not keep separate figures for the total cost of the €50 weekly top-up. As at 3 July, 2014, 6,595 individuals were participating in JobBridge internships. Based on number of finishers in 2014 to end of June, an average of 957 individuals finished their JobBridge internship each month in the first half of 2014.

There are 6 staff in the central JobBridge Unit of the Department.