Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 257: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will confirm entitlement to funding for the degree course which has been offered through the Springboard scheme in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 18 and to further ask if this person, who as a result of the Building Control Act 2010 has been unable to work under the title architect and has suffered a loss of work, satisfies Springboard's eligibility criteria in view of the fact that they have not been on jobseeker's allowance but instead availing of the back to work allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27565/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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To be eligible for a place on a Springboard course an applicant must have a previous history of employment, and at the time of starting a Springboard course must be unemployed and in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance, Jobseeker's Benefit or One Parent Family Payment or be signing for contribution credits. All applicants must be available for and actively seeking employment. While this is the reason the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance is not one of the eligible payments, a person transferring back to a Jobseeker's Benefit or Allowance Payment from the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance would qualify immediately to apply for a place on a Springboard programme. There is no requirement to be in receipt of the Jobseeker's payment for a specific period of time before applying for a Springboard programme.

People who do not fulfil the eligibility criteria for Springboard may also apply under the Department of Education and Skills Student Grant Scheme, for fee and maintenance cost support to pursue a higher education programme on a full-time basis. Full details regarding the Department's student grant schemes are available on www.studentfinance.ie.