Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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495. To ask the Minister for Finance if his Department and public bodies and agencies that operate under his remit facilitate internships by students engaged in full-time or part-time further and higher education courses; if so, the number of interns his Department and public bodies and agencies that operate under his remit accept annually; if any or all of these interns receive remuneration of any kind; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20006/22]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I can confirm that my Department does not facilitate internships for students in full or part-time further and higher education.

A number of bodies under the aegis of my Department have advised the following:

The Central Bank typically takes in forty students annually on its Internship Programme. The programme is usually undertaken by students in their second or penultimate year of study, and for most an internship is a requirement in order to complete their course. Placements are typically between 6-12 months in duration, commencing in September or January of any given year, depending on the course. The students participating in the Bank’s Internship Programme are paid €20,902 per annum, or a pro-rata sum thereof.

The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council runs an annual Summer Internship Programme. The internships are temporary posts, each lasting up to 12 weeks over the Summer months and are open to those currently engaged in an undergraduate or postgraduate degree programme in Economics. The Programme accepts two interns annually, both of whom receive remuneration.

The National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) has, in previous years, facilitated paid placements for college students. In 2021, the NTMA accepted one intern for a period of six weeks. It is anticipated that further placements will be advertised on an annual basis. The NTMA assigns staff to Home Building Finance Ireland, the National Asset Management Agency and the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland, and can assign interns to these bodies as required.

The Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General accepts fourteen students annually on temporary work placement as part of a co-operative education programme with the University of Limerick. These 8-month placements are a formal, integral, compulsory and academically accredited element of the students’ degree programmes. The interns are remunerated at Point 1 of the Clerical Officer Temporary PPC salary scale.

The Office of the Revenue Commissioners has operated an Internship Programme with a variety of colleges nationwide for a number of years. As of 2019, all interns assigned to Revenue have been placed on Point 1 of the Executive Officer salary scale for the duration of their internship. Revenue onboards interns to work across specialist fields such as Economic Research, Information and Communications Technology, and Audit and Compliance. Of the 18 interns due to take up their positions in 2022, 8 have already commenced their internship in Revenue, with the remaining 10 expected to commence throughout the year. Since 2019, the number of interns accepted annually by Revenue are:

2019=12;

2020=11;

2021=7; and

2022=18