THE STUDENT Summer Jobs Scheme, which is now entering its fourth year, was the brainchild of former Minister for Social Welfare Dr Michael Woods.

The scheme was introduced in 1993 as part of the Social Welfare Bill, which prevented third level students from claiming unemployment assistance during the summer, as they had traditionally been permitted to do.

In the end, 4,500 participated in the first year of the scheme, which cost nearly £2 million in payments, but saved the exchequer over £4 million. By 1995, the number of participants had risen to around 16,000 and the cost of the scheme exceeded £10 million.

"My problem with it, in the first instance, is that it should never have come into being in the first place," says Joanne Murphy, welfare officer and incoming president of UCG students' union. "Students should never have been struck off the dole."

Murphy says there have been mixed reactions to the scheme, although she expects a "huge number" of UCG students to participate this year.

While the scheme does allow students who might not otherwise have been able to claim full dole payments to earn money, she remains unhappy about the removal of the dole and its impact on the poorer sections of the student population.

"My opinion is that students are being turned outside the system because they aren't entitled to dole in their own right. That said, they make the best of what they are given."

This year, the scheme is open to all third level students over the ace of 18, subject to a means test, as well as those doing post Leaving Certificate courses of more than one year's duration. It remains closed to mature students, those who have completed their Leaving Cert and students in receipt of benefits.

The scheme will operate from June 1st to September 30th this year and students can work a maximum of 200 hours over a six 17 week period, although the maximum number of hours worked each week cannot exceed 35. Students can earn a maximum of £600 (this is the first year in which the allowance has not increased) and are also free to work part time elsewhere, if they choose. Student applications must be made before May 31st.

The Department of Social Welfare has also pointed out that students doing a one year PLC course or who have completed a two or three year PLC course can apply for unemployment assistance during the summer, even if they intend to go on to further education after the summer break.

While the scheme appears to have worked better than its critics, including USI, the National Youth Council and the Irish National Organisation for the Unemployed, might have expected, problems still remain.

USI has consistently claimed that the withdrawal of the dole affected the poorest 10 per cent of the student population, those who might previously have qualified for the highest rate of unemployment assistance, £62.50 per week, and an accommodation allowance.

Last year, provision was made to provide £200 extra funding for 3,375 participants whose parents were on social welfare, but this has been withdrawn because, according to a spokesperson for the Department of Social Welfare, it was felt to be "unfair". Last year's scheme is also believed to have exceeded its allocated budget by around £4 million and the Department is under pressure to keep within its allocation this year.

According to Helen Ryan, convenor of DIT Kevin Street students' union and incoming USI welfare officer, such students will now be around £350 less well off as a result when the additional loss of income from the withdrawal of the dole is taken into account.

"It has an ongoing effect, not just during the summer months," says Noeleen Hartigan, USI welfare officer and incoming deputy president, pointing out that the 1993 legislation also removed supplementary - welfare benefits for students, so that lone parents in college no longer received rent allowances. "What it did is to put social welfare rights into the same area as third level grants, basing it on parental income," says Hartigan.

Hartigan points out that students on academic placement during the summer can claim income under the scheme if they get their placement officer to register, as can final year students on work placement if they don't sign on the dole until after September 30th.