‘High-class roles should not be above JobBridge’

A Government TD has questioned why JobBridge should not be extended to “high-class” professions during a fractious debate over whether the scheme was taking advantage of vulnerable job seekers.

Labour TD Joanna Tuffy said she did not understand “why some things are above” the scheme during a meeting yesterday of the Oireachtas Education and Social Protection Committee, which heard the programme may be dropped next year.

Responding to concerns from Independent senator Gerard Craughwell and representatives of the National Youth Council of Ireland that a significant minority of people who accept JobBridge placements are being taken advantage of by companies, Ms Tuffy said nothing could be further from the truth.