Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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286. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of students who undertook work experience or internships with State and semi-State agencies under his aegis in 2019; the cost in terms of wages and allowances; and the estimated numerical capacity of State and semi-State agencies to provide work experience and internships on an annual basis. [12954/21]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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There are 17 bodies under the aegis of my Department, 8 of which facilitated student work experience or internships in 2019.

The Central Bank provided 90 student placements for work experience and internships, with a total wage cost of €618,000. It estimates capacity for 78 such placements on an annual basis. In addition, the Central Bank also facilitates unpaid transition year work placements.

Two students undertook internships with the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council in 2019, with an associated wage cost of €6,359. Two internship opportunities are offered annually at the Fiscal Council.

Collectively, the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA), the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA), Home Building Finance Ireland (HBFI) and the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) facilitated paid work experience for 9 students in 2019. The total cost of €41,078 was borne by the NTMA. It is anticipated that these placements will be advertised on an annual basis.

The Office of the Comptroller & Auditor General engaged 10 University students during 2019 on a nine-month work placement forming part of a degree course at a gross cost of €149,074. The Office examines its capacity and options annually to maximise the potential opportunities to provide work experience and internships and on average can absorb 9 to 13 placements annually.

In 2019, Revenue had a total of 12 college student interns who were engaged in work across specialist fields such as Economic Research and Information and Communications Technology. The total cost of these internships was €169, 251.57. Revenue typically provides approximately 15 internships each year.