Minister outlines JobBridge alternative as placements to stop from Friday

The deeply divisive JobBridge internship programme will close to new participants on Friday, with a new system guaranteeing a series of reforms set to be implemented from next summer.

Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar confirmed the move at a launch of two separate reports into the controversial scheme, despite opposition parties lashing out at the new measures and describing them as “JobBridge 2.0”.

The Government has confirmed that it is ending the JobBridge programme and replacing it with a new system in the coming months.

Existing nine-month placements will continue until their conclusion despite new placements being stopped from Friday.

There will be scope for just 2,500 placements under the new system and be focused specifically on the private sector, with public groups only allowed to participate if they can prove there is a genuine chance of employment for interns after placements end.

The JobBridge replacement, Mr Varadkar said, will also see:

• A working internship week cap of 30 hours instead of the existing 40-hour Job Bridge ceiling;
• A reduction of placements lengths from nine months to six months;
• A limitation on the number of interns to 10% of a company’s workforce;
• A guarantee that interns will receive at least the net minimum wage, with the taxpayer potentially only paying for three months of this over a six- month period

The latter point means participants will be in line to receive approximately €258 per week, compared to the existing system which works out at €152.50 per week for a person under the age of 25 and €240.50 per week for older participants.

In addition, there will also be a higher, yet to be agreed, financial contribution to the scheme from employers wishing to participate, with suggestions either a wage contribution or a registration fee for firms taking part may be sought.

Speaking at the launch of the separate Indecon economists and Labour Market Council reviews of the Job Bridge scheme, on which the changes are based, Mr Varadkar said he believes the scheme has “served its purpose” and is no longer needed in a growing economy.

Rejecting claims the Government’s scrapping of Job-Bridge is proof it now agrees the system is unworkable, he said 38,000 people have been helped into full-time employment and that the new system is an entirely separate model now unemployment levels are down to 8%.

However, despite the claims, opposition TDs rounded on Government last night. Paul Murphy, AAA-PBP TD and a vocal critic of JobBridge, said: “These are not meant to be schemes that are a boost to small business. People should be paid for their work,” adding that the replacement scheme risks being “Job Bridge 2.0”.

Paul Murphy, AAA-PBP TD

The Indecon report launched yesterday said Job Bridge helped 79% of people find long-term work and 70% of those who took part spoke of the scheme positively.

However, a previous National Youth Council of Ireland study found 31% failed to be employed when their placement finished.