Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 97: To ask the Minister for Social Protection his plans to allow far greater access to postgraduate study under the back to education allowance. [40048/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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With effect from 19th July 2010, changes have been introduced to BTEA to increase flexibility in terms of accessing the scheme. The period for which a person is required to be on a qualifying social welfare payment before accessing BTEA was reduced from 12 months to 9 months (a 2 year qualifying period continues to apply to participants coming from Illness Benefit). 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. In addition, a person in certain circumstances can avail of BTEA to resume studies in a second or subsequent year of a third level course whereas prior to July, a person could only apply for BTEA if s/he was commencing year one of a course.

The back to education scheme covers courses of education from second level to higher diploma level in any discipline [level 8 in the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ)] and to a Graduate Diploma in Education (Primary and Secondary Teaching; level 9 in NFQ) which add significantly to a person's employability. BTEA will not usually be approved if a person holds a qualification equivalent or higher than the qualification for which the application has been received. Other postgraduate qualifications (level 9 or level 10) are not included.

However, a small number of cases have arisen where a college has granted an exemption from the requirement to hold a primary degree and has admitted a person to a Master's course on the basis of relevant life experience. In the context of the ongoing monitoring of the operation of the scheme, it has been decided to extend entitlement to the Back to Education Allowance in these instances on an exceptional basis.

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. People in possession of a third level qualification have already achieved a high level of academic attainment which should impact positively on their employment prospects. Furthermore, the scheme was never intended to be an alternative form of funding for people entering or re-entering the third level education system.