Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 817: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will rectify the anomaly whereby a person who is in all other respects qualified for back-to-education allowance would be disqualified if the benefit runs out immediately prior to the course, for example, if the course starts on 1 September 2009 and benefit finishes on 2 September 2009 the person qualified, however if the benefit finishes on 31 August 2009 the person is disqualified; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38670/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Since its introduction, the underlying objective of the back to education allowance (BTEA) scheme has been to equip people on social welfare payments with qualifications that will enable them to obtain employment in the labour market. It is a second chance educational opportunities scheme for people on welfare payments who wish to participate in full time education and who would not otherwise be able to do so.

In order to qualify for participation, an applicant must be in receipt of a relevant social welfare payment for 3 months if pursuing a second level course or 12 months if pursuing a third level course. The qualifying period for access to third level courses is reduced to 9 months for those who are participating in the National Employment Action Plan process or engaging with the Department's facilitator programme. People who are awarded statutory redundancy may access the scheme immediately, provided an entitlement to a relevant social welfare payment is established prior to commencing an approved course of study.

If a person exhausts their entitlement to jobseekers benefit and if they do not qualify for jobseekers allowance which is means tested, they may be entitled to sign for credited contributions.

A person signing on for credits is eligible to participate in the BTEA scheme provide d the relevant qualifying conditions are fulfilled. The qualifying conditions relate to the primary scheme for which an entitlement to credits is established. Persons signing on for credits do not receive a weekly payment but they can avail of the cost of education allowance. This is a once off payment of €500 at the start of each academic year.

The Government recognises that the back to education scheme has an important role to play in enhancing the employability skills of jobseekers. The conditions of the scheme will continue to be monitored in the context of the objectives of the scheme and changes in the economic climate.