Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 337: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 1; and if he will review their case and the criteria to qualify for the back to education allowance to ensure persons on low incomes and others requiring financial assistance are given a sufficient chance at pursuing an education. [21556/07]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The back to education allowance (BTEA) facilitates people on certain social welfare payments to improve their skills and qualifications and, therefore, their prospects of returning to the active work force. The scheme enables qualified people who have been getting a social welfare payment to continue to receive a payment while pursuing an approved full-time education course.

To qualify for participation, an applicant must be in receipt of a relevant social welfare payment and must be at least 21 years of age prior to commencing an approved course of study. A person must have been in receipt of a social welfare payment for at least six months (156 days) for a second level option course and 12 months (312 days) for a third level option course immediately prior to commencing an approved course of study.

The person concerned does not satisfy the eligibility criteria for participation in the scheme as he has been unemployed for less than the minimum period specified.

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 this is considered necessary to ensure that limited resources are directed at those most in need.

The objective of the scheme is to help long-term unemployed social welfare recipients, by way of education and training to improve their prospects of acquiring sustainable employment. My Department is committed to encouraging those who have been out of the active work force to avail of appropriate pre-employment training, development and education opportunities. People who are already in employment or only a short time unemployed are not in the target group for the BTEA scheme.

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 338: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kildare is not entitled to a deposit for rental accommodation under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21567/07]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The supplementary welfare allowance scheme is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive. Under the terms of the scheme, an exceptional needs payment (ENP) may be made to help meet an essential once-off cost, such as a rent deposit, which the applicant is unable to meet out of his/her own resources. There is no automatic entitlement to this payment. Each application is determined by the Executive based on the particular circumstances of the case.

The Health Service Executive has advised that it has not received an application for payment of a rent deposit from the person concerned. If the person concerned wishes to make an application for payment of a rent deposit, she should contact the community welfare officer in her area so that her entitlement can be assessed.