Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 407: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the extent to which he intends to expand, improve or extend the back to education allowance with particular reference to easing some of the qualification criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37961/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The back to education allowance 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. I reduced the qualifying period for access to the third level option of the scheme to 12 months in the 2005 Budget. I also increased the annual cost of education allowance, paid to people on BTEA, from €254 to €400. These changes came into effect from 1 September 2005. Following an undertaking to the Dáil and the social affairs committee, I reduced the qualifying period for access to the third level option to 9 months. This condition applies to people who are participating in the National Employment Action Plan process, if a FÁS Employment Services Officer recommends that the pursuance of a third level course of study is essential to the enhancement of the individual's employment prospects. This new condition came into effect from 1 September 2005. The qualifying period for access to the second level option of the scheme is six months. In the 2006 Budget, I announced that time spent in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance from the HSE or the direct provision system operated by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform can count towards the qualifying period for back to education allowance if the person establishes an entitlement to a relevant social welfare payment before commencing an approved course of study. This provision came into effect in September 2006. I will continue to monitor the scheme. Overall, the current arrangements ensure that the scheme continues to provide valuable assistance to people who have been out of the workforce for some time and enhances the opportunities of obtaining employment.