Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 86: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the position regarding short-term and night time courses run for jobseekers; if there is a reluctance by jobseekers to take up courses due to the perceived difficulty and delay in moving from social welfare payments to FÁS payments; if the situation will be streamlined; if persons on short-term courses could stay on social welfare payments instead of transferring; if the standing of short-term courses is different; and if being on a short-term course does not guarantee a payment. [47408/09]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

When individuals in receipt of a social welfare payment commence a FÁS course of more than two weeks duration, they receive a training allowance from FÁS and their social welfare payments are suspended for the duration of the course. Upon completion of the course individuals are required to re-submit a claim to the Department of Social and Family Affairs where they have not secured employment. FÁS evening courses and many of the elearning/online/blended learning courses do not provide a training allowance so learners may continue to receive their social welfare payment for the duration.

There may remain a perception among many FÁS clients who are in receipt of a welfare payment that they will incur a lengthy delay in having their payment re-instated. However, I understand that the Department of Social and Family Affairs, at a central level, has instructed their local offices to 'fast-track' or prioritize such claimants so that there should not be significant delays in having their payments re-instated.

Officials from my Department, FÁS and the Department of Social and Family Affairs meet regularly and will continue to explore measures to encourage the unemployed to participate in training. This includes examining measures to ease the transition and reduce any inconvenience for individuals in transferring between the social welfare and the FÁS training allowance payment systems. The retention of social welfare benefits while claimants are participating on training courses is a matter for the Minister of Social and Family Affairs.