Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

It is important to avoid poverty traps and to try to support people by ensuring they do not become too dependent on social welfare and helping them to return to work. When discrepancies arise, my Department will try to rectify them.

The back to education allowance scheme is designed to help those who have not worked for some time to improve their employability and job readiness by acquiring educational qualifications. The scheme is a recognition of the special difficulties such persons can face when attempting to gain a foothold in the labour market. The requirement to be in receipt of a relevant social welfare payment for a minimum period has always been a feature of the scheme and is considered necessary to ensure limited resources are directed at those most in need. It is important to avoid circumstances in which those who have recently completed the leaving certificate examination spend a few months in receipt of social welfare payments with a view to qualifying for the back to education allowance.

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