Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 401: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a grant for third level education may be counted as income for the purposes of means testing; his views on whether this may act as a disincentive against obtaining that education; if he will liaise with his cabinet colleagues to ensure a change in this policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20939/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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For the purposes of means testing for social assistance payments such as Disability Allowance, Unemployment Assistance, Blind Person's Pension, Farm Assist, Pre-Retirement Allowance and One Parent Family Payment, any moneys received by way of a maintenance grant under the following schemes are not assessed as means: 1.a scheme administered by the Minister for Education and Science under the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Act, 1968 to 1992 or 2. a scheme administered under the aegis of the Minister for Education and Science and known as the Maintenance Grants Scheme for Students attending Post-Leaving Certificates Courses, Vocational Education Committees Scholarship Scheme, or Third-level Maintenance Grants Scheme for Trainees.

In addition, my Department operates the back to education allowance (BETA), this scheme is a second chance education opportunities scheme designed to encourage and facilitate people on certain social welfare payments to improve their skills and qualifications and, therefore, their prospects of returning to the active work force.

At present, to qualify for participation in the BTEA scheme an applicant must be, prior to commencing an approved course of study, at least 21 years of age (18 for people with disabilities). Lone parents and unemployed persons may access the scheme at 18 years if they are out of formal education for 2 years or more. An applicant must also be in receipt of a relevant social welfare payment for at least six months, in the case of people wishing to complete a second level course, or twelve months in the case of people wishing to pursue third level qualifications. The twelve month requirement is reduced to nine in the case of people who wish to attend a third level course and who are participating in the National Employment Action Plan.

The scheme was established to assist people who have been out of the workforce for some time and whose opportunities of obtaining employment would be enhanced by participation in the scheme. I am satisfied that the current means testing arrangements and the BTEA provide the necessary incentives to enable social welfare recipients to improve their skills and education, and therefore their prospects of returning to the workforce.