Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

I do not agree with the Minister that the scheme achieves its objectives in that not enough people can get on to it. Since the Minister was encouraged by the increase in the number of participants over the past two years, is she now discouraged that there will be 500 fewer places on the scheme next year?

I am constantly raising this issue because I believe the scheme gives people a chance to re-train and re-educate themselves. When the Minister was recently on the "Prime Time" programme with Deputy Gilmore she said her main priority was education and training. If it is, then how this scheme works should be changed. The Minister claims people who are made redundant do not need to have been in receipt of a year's relevant social welfare benefit before they can go on to third level. Is she aware that of the 94,502 people who joined the live register in the year to October, only one third was made redundant? This means only one third of those people are eligible to apply for the back-to-education allowance. Has the Minister reviewed or thought about allowing people on the minimum wage to participate in the back-to-education allowance, particularly for those in employment where their prospects are doubtful?

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