Ulick Burke (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 291: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will waive the unemployment requirement in the back to education allowance in order that those affected by job losses can avail of the opportunity to upskill, retrain or re-educate themselves in order to regain employment at a later stage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34125/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The back to education allowance (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.

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 full time 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 qualifying period for access to the third level option is 9 months for persons who are participating in the National Employment Action Plan (NEAP) process and where a FÁS Employment Services Officer recommends pursuance of a third level course of study as essential to the enhancement of the individuals employment prospects. With effect from 1 September, 2007, people who are awarded Statutory Redundancy are allowed immediate access to the BTEA scheme provided an entitlement to a relevant social welfare payment is established prior to commencing an approved course of study.