Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

I appreciate the dilemma and the almost catch-22 in regard to the points qualification and the anomaly Deputy McCarthy raised. He will appreciate that the role of the Department of Social Protection, in supporting students on the back to education allowance, is income support. We do not get involved in the technical educational qualification side of it because that is not our competence but rather that of the Department of Education and Skills. The Deputy referenced the Teaching Council also.

I accept there is a problem here and I would be happy to pursue it with the Minister for Education and Skills. I would like to make another suggestion. There is now an Oireachtas Joint Committee on Jobs, Social Protection and Education, although I do not know if the Deputy is a member of it.

See this speech in context