Seanad debates

Wednesday, 21 November 2012

Adjournment Matters

Back to Education Allowance Appeals

5:45 pm

Photo of Mary MoranMary Moran (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Alex White, for coming to the House. I look forward to hearing his comments on the plight of a constituent of mine in Dundalk. The lady in question obtained a third level qualification in 2000. Unfortunately, after working for several years she was made redundant and has been on jobseeker's allowance since then. Commendably, she decided that rather than sit at home and do nothing she would go back to college to pursue a further education course. She applied for a course but was refused the back to education allowance because the qualification she holds at present is higher than the course for which she had applied in Dundalk Institute of Technology, DkIT, in September. I understand the reasons for the decision and that is not in question. However, she was also refused the student grant from SUSI. The decision is under appeal at the moment. As a result, the lady concerned has had to leave the course she started in September with high hopes. She has been forced to leave the course and return to the dole queue as she has no other income. I commend the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton, on the work she is doing with JobBridge in the area but I also understand the situation the person in question is in at present. She wishes to improve her education and increase her job prospects but the system does not seem to allow for that.

Currently, people are thankfully more aware of mental health issues. It is important that we take the mental health issues of such people into consideration. This lady wants to work. She wants to improve her education and is totally despondent at having no other option but to go back on the dole. I would be grateful if the Minister of State could pass on my concerns to the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton, and ask for a review in situations such as this to ensure that people wishing to return to education, even if the qualification is lower than the one they already hold, are entitled to supports to ensure that they can improve their education. This lady is being penalised for being too highly qualified in the first place. If she had no third level qualification she would have qualified for the back to education allowance. I understand that if the qualification one holds is higher than the current course then one does not qualify for the allowance, but the system should provide for assistance in such cases because of the many people in a similar situation to the case I have outlined who want to come off the dole queue and improve themselves in order to get a job. I accept there are systems in place but we must examine the situation outlined whereby this person applied for a course and began to attend a college but was forced to leave it and go back on the dole queue.

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