Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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155. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her views on the recent downgrading of the STEP Enterprises service run by St. John of God's; the relationship between the JobBridge scheme and this service; if allowances are made to allow persons participate in the JobBridge scheme while on a disability based payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47204/14]

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The JobBridge scheme provides internship opportunities for persons in receipt of one of the qualifying social welfare payments. The qualifying payments are Jobseekers Allowance, Jobseekers Benefit, One Parent Family Payment and Disability Allowance. Accordingly people on Disability Allowance who wish to participate in JobBridge can apply for an internship.

As is the case in respect of other eligible participants people on Disability Allowance who participate on JobBridge interns receive a ‘top-up’ of €50 per week in addition to their Social Welfare payment.

There is no relationship between the STEP Enterprises service and the JobBridge scheme.