Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 738: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of people who have availed of the back to education allowance scheme during the years 2000 to 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1374/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The back to education allowance (BTEA) is a second chance education opportunities scheme designed to remove the barriers to participation in second and third level education. It encourages and 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. The scheme also provides an annual cost of education grant of €400 increasing to €500 from the academic year 2008/09.

There are two strands to the Back to Education programme — the Second Level Option and the Third Level Option.

Second Level Option (SLO)

A person may attend a second level course of study at any community, comprehensive, secondary, or vocational school. The course being pursued must be a full-time, day course of study that leads to a certificate recognised by the Department of Education and Science or validated by the Further Education Training and Awards Council (FETAC).

Third Level Option

A person may attend an approved third level course of study at any recognised university or third level institution. The course must be a full-time day course of study recognised by the Department of Education and Science for the Higher Education Grant Scheme, the Vocational Education Committee's Scholarship Scheme, the Third Level Maintenance Grant Scheme for Trainees or validated by the Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC).

The details requested are given in tabular form for the academic years 1999/2000 to 2006/2007 inclusive.

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 739: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason rent supplement has been reduced for a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1416/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The supplementary welfare allowance scheme (SWA) is administered on my behalf by the Community Welfare Service of the Health Service Executive (HSE).

The means test for the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, through which rent supplement is provided, requires that additional income, including maintenance payments for a lone parent and his/her children, must be taken into account in determining a person's entitlements under the scheme.

The HSE has advised that it has revised the amount of rent supplement payable in this case. Maintenance payments of €100 a week have now been included in the assessment of means. If the person concerned is not satisfied with this decision, it is open to her to lodge an appeal to the Appeals Office of the HSE.