Wait or apply now for internship?

Badhb

Hi,

I have been on illness benefit for nearly two years, have now submitted my final cert,and am now awaiting a decision on my claim for jobseekers allowance.

Can I apply for jobbridge internships now, based on having been in receipt of illness benefit, and previous years of having been in receipt of jobseekers payments, or do I have to wait until I am 3 months in receipt of JA?

Rooneymara

Strictly speaking you have to be signing on for 3 months or more in the last 6 months.
More information here:

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employment/unemployment_and_redundancy/employment_support_schemes/national_internship_scheme.html

Badhb

Yes, I know that 3 months in receipt of a jobseekers payment is normally required.

What is not clear is how previous years spent on jobseekers payments, ce schemes etc can be counted and/or included towards this.

Does anybody know who or what I can consult regarding this?

cee_jay

From the link posted above:

To be eligible for the JobBridge scheme you must be unemployed and:

Getting Jobseeker’s Benefit (JB) or Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) or signing on for credits
and

Getting JB, JA or signing on for credits for a total of 3 months* or more in the last 6 months.
*Since 26 September 2011 periods spent on the Back to Education Allowance, VTOS, FÁS/Fáilte Ireland training courses, Youthreach, FIT, Community Employment Schemes, Tús, the Rural Social Scheme, Back to Work Scheme, Job Initiative or Job Assist may count towards meeting the eligibility of JobBridge, provided:

You have completed these programmes
You have signed back onto the Live Register
You are getting JA, JB or jobseeker credits immediately before starting on JobBridge

So at the moment you are not eligible for Jobbridge.