Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 440: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which he and or his Department have examined the beneficial economic impact of encouraging more unemployed persons back to education as a means of preparing for economic recovery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39189/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Social Protection operates a range of employment support measures designed to encourage and support social welfare recipients of working age to reduce their dependency on welfare payments. This is done through the operation of a number of schemes such as the Back to Education scheme, Back to Work Enterprise allowance scheme, the Short-Term Enterprise allowance scheme, the Technical Assistance and Training Grants and the Employer Job (PRSI) Incentive scheme. In addition the Activation and Family Support Programme offers supports to social welfare customers and other disadvantaged persons to assist them to improve their employability and personal and family situations.

The Back to Education Allowance scheme (BTEA) is a scheme which encourages and facilitates people on certain social welfare payments, mainly unemployment, lone parents and illness and disability payments, to improve their skills and qualifications and, therefore, their prospects of returning to the active work force.

The focus of the Back to Education Allowance is to assist those who are most marginalised and distant from the labour market to acquire the necessary education to improve their chances of becoming independent of the social welfare system.

The number of participants in the scheme in the 2009/2010 academic year was 20,808 which represented a 79% increase on the previous year. The 2008/2009 academic year also showed an increase of 31% on the previous academic year.

The back to education scheme is only one of the support services through which Government is responding to the challenge of preventing drift into long-term unemployment. In the area of education 157,000 training and work experience places will be provided in 2010, compared to 66,00 places in 2008; higher education institutions have increased the number of places on offer; 48,000 learners will participate in full-time education including VTOS, Youthreach and PLC programmes; an estimated 125,000 will participate in part-time education programmes under the adult literacy, community education and Back to Education schemes; and the Labour Market Activation Fund is supporting almost 60 innovative projects and 12,000 participants in 2010.

This range of programmes and schemes will support unemployed people in acquiring skills which will assist them in returning to employment as the economy recovers and minimise the risk of their drifting into long-term unemployment.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 441: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons currently on back to work or similar incentive based schemes; the extent if any to which he intends to expand these schemes having particular regard to the current economic climate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39190/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The back to work allowance schemes are designed to assist the long-term unemployed, lone parents, people with disabilities and other social welfare recipients to return to work. One of the goals of the social welfare system is to be responsive to the needs of people of working age and to facilitate them taking up relevant employment opportunities. In order to respond effectively to the growing numbers on the live register and the continuing contraction in employment, it was decided in the Supplementary Budget of the 7th April 2009 to refocus resources on the back to work schemes to support people into self employment.

A revised Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA) and a new Short Term Enterprise Allowance (STEA) scheme were introduced from May 1st 2009. The back to work allowance (employee strand) scheme was closed to new applicants on May 1st 2009.

In addition the qualifying period required for Jobseekers on the live register to access to the BTWEA has reduced from 2 years to 12 months provided the person has an entitlement to Jobseeker's allowance. Those who do not have an underlying entitlement to Jobseeker's allowance can access the scheme, as before, subject to the two year qualifying period. The period for which the allowance is payable is 2 years, the first year at 100% of existing social welfare entitlement and 75% in the second year.

Furthermore, people who previously participated in the back to work enterprise allowance scheme may apply a second time after a period of at least 5 years has elapsed.

The STEA provides immediate access to people who have lost their jobs and qualify for jobseekers' benefit who wish to set up a business. Payment under the scheme is at the same rate and for the same duration as their entitlement to jobseeker's benefit.

These changes significantly strengthen the supports for jobseekers wishing to move to self employment. The qualifying conditions will continue to be monitored in the context of the objectives of the scheme and changing economic circumstances.

There were 9,551 participants in the back to work schemes at end September 2010. A total of 6,904 people were availing of the back to work enterprise scheme, 1,550 on the short-term enterprise scheme and 1,097 partaking in the back to work employee strand.