Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 302: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if a student who completes a level seven undergraduate course in 2009-10 and wants to carry on to a level eight undergraduate course, will retain both the back to education allowance and grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17774/10]

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 303: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if he will clarify the situation facing mature students who, when they started their course, were promised that they would be able to complete the three years to gain a degree, and not a certificate, in view of the fact that these students have now been told that they will be treated as new students after two years and are not eligible for back to education allowance or a vocational education committee grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17775/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 302 and 303 together.

For the purpose of the Back to Education Allowance, the duration of a course is that which is specified in the course description submitted with the application. This may be one, two, three or four years and the allowance is awarded for the specified period. A person who avails of the Back to Education Allowance to complete a level 7 course can subsequently avail of the allowance to undertake an approved level 8 course subject to compliance with the qualifying conditions. BTEA participants who are progressing to the next year of their course or who are progressing from one level of qualification to the next, at second or third level, will have their BTEA re-instated from the commencement of the new academic year provided they supply written confirmation from the college that they are registered as full-time day students for the new academic year and comply with the conditions of the scheme. My colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, deals with the student maintenance grant schemes, including the definition of a new course for the purpose of these schemes.