David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 385: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if the VTOS income support has been integrated back into income support under her Department; if the vocational educational committee is the main access route for people applying for second chance education at third level; if the national employment action plan process has been improved such that all entrants for whom education would be more appropriate are referred to the back to education scheme as per commitments under her Department's Disability Act sectoral plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46503/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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In its Disability Sectoral Plan, the Department of Social and Family Affairs has undertaken to facilitate participation in education by social welfare customers of working age with disabilities who are most distant from the labour market in order to enhance their employability and assist them in accessing sustainable employment. The department also committed to enhancing the National Employment Action Plan (NEAP) process where an education option is considered most appropriate. Consequently, the third level strand of the back to education scheme is now accessible for persons participating in the national employment action plan, if they have spent nine months on the live register. The duration condition for others is twelve months.

An inter-departmental working group was established to oversee the integration of VTOS income support provision into the Department of Social and Family Affairs while the Department of Education and Science would provide all educational supports. This was one of the recommendations in the "Report of the Working Group on the Review of the Back to Education allowance (BTEA) Scheme" which are currently under examination. In line with commitments in the Disability Sectoral Plan and elsewhere the annual cost of education allowance has been increased to €500.

The responsibility for mainstream education rests with the Department of Education and Science and the access routes for people applying for second chance education is a matter for that department.