Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 142: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he is considering reversing his decision to reduce the level of financial support given to the back-to-education initiative as announced in budget 2009; his views on whether this scheme is more necessary than ever in view of the economic recession and the need to retrain the growing numbers of unemployed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38021/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The Back to Education Initiative (BTEI) commenced in October 2002. It provides flexible part-time options across Further Education and is aimed at adults with less than upper second level education, including unemployed adults. It aims to give adults who wish to return to education an opportunity to combine their return to learning with family, work and other responsibilities. Programmes are offered on a part-time basis in the mornings, afternoons, evenings or at weekends.

Since September 2007, any adult with less than an upper second level education is entitled to free tuition. Originally only people with a social welfare entitlement or medical card were entitled to free tuition.

As part of a prioritised approach to expenditure in 2009, it was necessary to reduce the number of places on the BTEI by 500, returning it to the 2007 level of 9,000. This reduction should be seen in the context of the significant increase in expenditure on the BTEI in the last five years, up from €6,000,000 in 2002 to €18,000,000 in 2007.

The Deputy will be aware that the Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS), which is funded by my Department, is a second chance education initiative designed specifically for the unemployed. Unemployed persons who are at least 21 years of age and in receipt of specified social welfare payments for at least six months are eligible to participate. It aims to give participants education and training opportunities which will develop and prepare them to go into paid employment or on to further education opportunities leading to paid employment.

A training allowance (equivalent to the maximum rate of unemployment benefit, plus a payment for an adult or child dependant, if appropriate) is paid by Vocational Education Committees (VECs) to participants who previously drew unemployment benefit or assistance. These allowances will be increased in line with the appropriate social welfare rates or FÁS trainee allowances and VTOS participants also retain their social welfare secondary benefits.

There are 5,000 approved places on VTOS and I shall endeavour to safeguard this position for 2009.