Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 57: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if there will be changes to the criteria to qualify for the back to education allowance in view of the fact that the qualifying age limits militates against young mothers. [8003/07]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The back to education allowance (BTEA) is 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 work force. It is a second chance education opportunities scheme designed to encourage those who have been out of education to return to education.

The BTEA is essentially a social welfare replacement income which is paid at a standard weekly rate equivalent to the maximum rate of the relevant social welfare payment that qualifies the applicant for participation in the scheme.

At present, to qualify for participation in the BTEA scheme an applicant must be at least 21 years of age (18 for people with disabilities). However lone parents and others 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 process.

The eligibility criteria for participation in the scheme are considered reasonable and necessary in order to ensure that resources are targeted at those who are most in need.

The granting of a special concession to young mothers to access the BTEA scheme would have to have general application on grounds of equity to all unemployed people and people with disabilities. This would have significant cost implications which could only be considered in a budgetary context. Such a change would also have implications for other schemes requiring a similar attachment to a relevant social welfare payment.

The provision of support for young mothers to stay in education is primarily a matter that should be addressed through the education system. With regard to first chance education, my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science has already in place a number of programmes for young mothers wishing to stay in education i.e. the home tuition scheme, the vocational training opportunities scheme (VTOS) and youthreach.

I am satisfied that, overall, the current arrangements ensure that my Department's back to education allowance scheme continues to support those who are most distant from the labour market, including young mothers. The scheme is kept under regular review to ensure that it continues to support those most in need.