Written answers
Thursday, 6 October 2016
Department of Social Protection
National Internship Scheme Review
Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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38. To ask the Minister for Social Protection regarding the evaluation of JobBridge, promised in September 2016, his plans for replacing JobBridge with more targeted schemes aimed at specific groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28734/16]
Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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44. To ask the Minister for Social Protection his plans to replace the JobBridge scheme; the procedures in place to ensure the mistakes made with respect to the JobBridge scheme will not be repeated and that participants are not forced into unsuitable and inappropriate employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28745/16]
Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 and 44 together.
Since its introduction in 2011, JobBridge has encouraged over 19,000 mainly small employers to provide work experience opportunities to over 48,000 jobseekers. Participation is entirely voluntary; there is no obligation on jobseekers to look for, or take up a JobBridge internship and jobseeker payments are not conditional on participation in JobBridge.
An independent evaluation of the scheme published in 2013 found that over 60% of participants progressed into paid employment within a short period of completing their internship. This suggests that JobBridge has been instrumental in helping about 30,000 jobseekers to secure employment.
The scheme was introduced in response to the unprecedented collapse in the economy, particularly the sharp increase in unemployment. I have already announced that I plan to replace JobBridge in response to criticisms of the scheme and the much improved economic and labour market conditions.
It is important that the design of any new scheme be informed by the best available evidence. That is why I intend to wait for the results of the second large-scale evaluation of JobBridge by Indecon and London Economics before finalising the design of any replacement scheme.
I also asked the Labour Market Council for its views. The Labour Market Council includes representatives from the INOU, ICTU and IBEC.
Indecon is currently finalising its report on JobBridge. The Labour Market Council has met with Indecon on a number of occasions and will also submit its observations and proposals.
I expect to receive the final version of the Indecon report within the next two weeks and will publish the report, together with the Labour Market Council observations and my own proposals very shortly thereafter.
Mick Wright
Posted on 29 Nov 2016 7:28 am (Report this comment)
I'm not sure that 30,000 jobs can be attributed to JB.
Had this been the case then a faster recovery from the large percentage of unemployed after the downturn would be obvious, to all, and nobody in their right mind gives up a 'good thing' if its working so well, instead they find ways to improve it.
The minister is claiming here that of the 2,182,924 workforce (2014 figure) a full 30,000 or 1.37% can be attributed instrumentally to a scheme that had just 48,000 interns. That 62.5% of participants benefited by finding work as a direct result? I would hazard a guess this 'short period' after the internship was between 12 months to two years! Statistically at least this would explain why 30,000 were now working.
I could count, were I that way inclined, using the simplest of technology more than 10,000 that 'dropped out' of this intern scheme and are proud to mention it online. How many dropped out Minister?
That is an absolutely unheard of figure for any intern scheme to be honest, state sponsored or not! Even Googles private intern placement with training and their seemingly endless pockets does not achieve this level of placement. There is simply no way the minister could accept it at face value, and also have the intellect and wherewithal to have completed a degree course in medicine. Seriously have the Irish public now sunk so low in their basic understanding of this that they would accept such a figure? Is that where we are now?
Would the minister accept this figure were it one over and above the effectiveness of a new medical treatment, I would hazard a guess he most certainly would not. If it sounds too good to be true, then its most likely NOT! This has been painted, and unfortunately each person visiting the wall to paint it added even more colour. It now shows it a knock off.
I would strongly suggest the minister receives his final Indecon report and then promptly recoups some of the expenditure on this folly be asking politely for a refund!