Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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146. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding JobBridge; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45766/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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JobBridge has made very significant progress since it came into operation on 1^stJuly 2011. As at 27^thNovember 2014, a total of 35,616internships have commenced with 6,742participants currently on a JobBridge placement, and 1,933 internship posts currently advertised on the Jobs Ireland website.

The eligibility criteria for the JobBridge 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.

While the eligibility criteria for JobBridge has been expanded gradually over the three and a half years since the scheme commenced, it is at present confined to those people who have a live claim and have been in receipt of a relevant qualifying payment (Jobseekers Allowance, Jobseekers Benefit, Jobseekers Transition Payment, One Parent Family Payment, Disability Allowance) or signing for Social Insurance Contribution Credits, for at least three months (78 days) within the last six months.

The scheme operates in this targeted way to allocate scarce exchequer resources to make maximum impact for those at risk of long term unemployment, while ensuring that it does not replace or displace the normal operation of the labour market. The Department does not make exceptions to these qualifying criteria, and there are no plans to change them at present.

The Deputy may wish to note that the person referred to will become eligible for the scheme on 05/01/2015.