Leinster House interns unpaid

THE Fianna Fail spokesperson on disability has said that she is deeply disappointed that the Oireachtas has engaged in unpaid internships for young people with disabilities. Deputy Margaret Murphy O’Mahony was commenting as it emerged that the Oireachtas is currently employing interns with intellectual disabilities and not paying them a salary. Instead each intern receives a daily lunch voucher. ‘This is totally unacceptable, and flies in the face of basic fair play and government policy which is not to engage in unpaid internships. I wholeheartedly welcome the Owl Scheme which is proving these internship opportunities to service users of two charities, Walk and Care. However, they should be paid for their work. There can be no ifs, no buts and no maybes about it.’ She said the fact they were not being paid for their work was ‘simply unacceptable’.