Dozen banned from hiring JobBridge interns

Twelve companies have been disqualified from taking on interns under the JobBridge scheme.

The companies were banned after breaching rules, such as not providing appropriate mentoring, and filling an existing job vacancy with an internship.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Social Protection said these companies’ actions should not take away from the scheme’s benefits.

Since the scheme began in 2011, over 12,000 internships have been provided for applicants, who receive social welfare payments and an extra €50 a month.