Department ‘ignoring’ JobBridge calls

The Department of Social Protection has been accused of ignoring JobBridge interns’ genuine concerns after rejecting calls to double the money they receive, claiming the State cannot afford the increase.

In a statement responding directly to Irish Examiner questions based on changes recommended by the National Youth Council of Ireland, and which the department failed to answer on Tuesday, Tánaiste Joan Burton’s department confirmed it does not accept the key changes outlined.

The 120-page NYCI report had specifically called for the weekly welfare payment received by interns to be increased from €50 to €100, and for plans to force 1,500 long-term unemployed people onto the related First Steps scheme to be scrapped.