Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)
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Question 401: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if there is assistance available to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; his views on whether the eligibility criteria of the respite care grant should be extended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30771/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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Supporting and recognising carers in our society has been a priority of the Government since 1997. Over that period, weekly payment rates to carers have been greatly increased, qualifying conditions for carer's allowance have been significantly eased, coverage of the scheme has been extended and new schemes such as carer's benefit and the respite care grant have been introduced and extended.

One of the fundamental qualification conditions for carer's allowance is that the applicant must be providing full time care and attention to a person who needs such care. Since the introduction of the carer's allowance scheme this full time care and attention requirement has been eased in order to facilitate carers in engaging in employment, education or training.

Until June this year people could engage in employment outside the home for up to 10 hours per week and still qualify for payment. Since then, I have increased the number of hours a person can engage in employment, self-employment, training or education outside the home and still satisfy the qualifying conditions for payment, from 10 to 15 hours per week. This improvement applies to carer's allowance, carer's benefit and the respite care grant.

In 2005 I extended the respite care grant to all those providing full time care and attention regardless of means or household composition. Since then a grant has been paid in respect of each person for whom the carer is providing full time care and attention. In Budget 2006 I increased the level of the grant and it is now paid at €1,200 per year in respect of each care recipient.

The person to whom the Deputy's question refers is employed outside the home for 32 hours per week and, as such, does not meet the qualifying conditions for the respite care grant. The Health Services Executive (HSE) is responsible for the provision of respite care services. The lady in question may be eligible for some of those services and I would suggest she contact her local HSE office in that regard.

I am always prepared to consider changes to existing arrangements where these are for the benefit of recipients and financially sustainable within the resources available to me. I will continue to strive to bring forward proposals that recognise and support the valued and valuable contribution of all carers in a tangible way.

Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 402: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason an applicant has to be in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment the day before their course starts to qualify for back to education allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30772/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The back to education allowance or BTEA 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. The purpose of the allowance is to replace the weekly social welfare payment that the applicant will have been receiving. The allowance is not payable to people who are not social welfare recipients. The requirement to which the Deputy refers is designed to ensure that the BTEA is targeted appropriately.

At present, to qualify for participation in the 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 requirement to be in receipt of a relevant social welfare payment for a minimum period has always been a feature of the BTEA scheme and is considered necessary to ensure that limited resources are directed at those most in need.