Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 489: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the number of persons in receipt of both the back to education allowance and student maintenance grant for each of the years 2007, 2008, 2009 and to date in 2010 broken down by the level of grant received; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22802/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) is a second chance education opportunities scheme designed to encourage and facilitate people on certain social welfare payments to improve their skills and qualifications and therefore, their prospects of returning to the workforce. Eligibility for the Back to Education Allowance and associated payments is determined and administered by the Department of Social Protection and is primarily a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Social Protection.

It is understood from the Department of Social Protection that figures for the BTEA are collated on an academic year basis. Some 4,641 of their clients were in receipt of the BTEA Third Level Option in the 2007/08, 6,559 in 2008/09 and 10,351 in the current (2009/10) academic year. However, not all BTEA recipients qualify for support under the student grant schemes.

The Deputy will appreciate that many categories of applicants apply for funding under the maintenance grant schemes. My Department does not collate information specifically on students in receipt of the BTEA allowance only.

Students currently in receipt of the BTEA and the maintenance grant will continue to be eligible for both payments for the duration of their current course provided they continue to meet the terms and conditions of the schemes. With effect from the academic year 2010/11, students entering or progressing to a new course will no longer be eligible to hold the BTEA together with a student maintenance grant. These students may continue to apply to be assessed to have the cost of the student service charge and any tuition fees paid on their behalf.