Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

Just because a scheme operated in a particular way in the past does not mean it should continue to operate in the same way in these changed economic times. The Minister said that €519 million is allocated to the scheme during the lifetime of the national development plan. If people are denied access to the back to education allowance, they will continue to be in receipt of other social welfare payments. The Minister seems unable to grasp this point.

The Taoiseach made reference to the back to education allowance in his speech to the Fianna Fáil Ard-Fheis last weekend but provided no context to his comment. Are changes proposed to the scheme and, if so, what specific changes are being examined? As the Minister observed, the regulations are less strict for those in receipt of statutory redundancy. This does not seem equitable. Of the increasing numbers of people who find themselves unemployed when the shop, hotel or restaurant in which they worked closes, many do not receive statutory redundancy. Why should they be penalised further by being denied the back to education allowance which is available immediately to persons who receive a lump sum on redundancy?

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