Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 73: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the duration of claiming social welfare before a person can qualify to hold welfare entitlements while participating in education programmes and if additional training allowance is payable during the course and if she plans changes in this scheme in the context of the four year budgetary plan. [44612/10]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Participants in Youthreach or Senior Traveller Training Centre (STTC) full-time further education programmes receive a training allowance in lieu of their social welfare payment. They are also eligible for a range of additional meal and travel allowances and participants who are at least 12 months in receipt of a relevant social welfare payment prior to joining the programme are eligible to receive a weekly training bonus of €31.80.

The VTOS programme is a full-time education programme open to people over 21 years of age who are at least six months unemployed. VTOS is funded by my Department and operated by VECs. VTOS participants previously in receipt of Jobseekers' Assistance or Jobseekers' Benefit (JA/JB) receive an allowance from the relevant VEC in lieu of that payment at a rate equivalent to the maximum rate of JA/JB, plus a payment for an adult or child dependent as appropriate. VTOS participants who were previously in receipt of other social welfare payments, such as One Parent Family Allowance or Disability Allowance (OPFA/DA) continue to receive payment from the Department of Social Protection. All VTOS participants are eligible for meal, travel and the training bonus, subject to the conditions outlined above.

Participants in all of these programmes are also eligible to avail of child care support under the Childcare Education and Training Scheme (CETS).

Participants in the Back to Education Initiative (the part-time option for the full-time programmes mentioned above) in receipt of social welfare payments can maintain those payments, subject to confirmation with the Department of Social Protection.

Those in receipt of social welfare payments who wish to participate in a Post-Leaving Certificate (PLC) course may be eligible for the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) which is administered by the Department of Social Protection. BTEA recipients also receive an annual Cost of Education Allowance of €500.

The Deputy will appreciate that the preparation of the Estimates is carried out on a strictly confidential basis and it would not be appropriate for me to comment on specific issues or proposals, including those relating to training allowances, at this stage.