Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 25: To ask the Minister for Social Protection her plans to provide an exemption to the qualifying criteria for rent allowance in respect of victims of domestic violence and their children. [29053/11]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 30: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the way and when she will transfer responsibility for paying rent support to local authorities; if staff will be transferred from her Department to the local authorities to administer this scheme; the time frame in which she foresees the transfer of function to be effected within; if she intends to change the terms of the scheme to become more work friendly by allowing workers on low incomes to avail of the scheme in some way; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28950/11]

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 31: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she explored the possibility of using the National Asset Management Agency properties to reduce spending on the rent supplement; and if she has entered any discussions regarding same. [29047/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 25, 30 and 31 together.

There are several commitments contained in the Programme for Government in relation to the rent supplement scheme including removing barriers to employment. The most appropriate way for this to happen is for local authorities to take over responsibility for meeting the accommodation needs of people claiming rent supplement. In this regard the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government and the Minister for Housing & Planning on the 16th June 2011 announced a new housing policy framework statement reflecting the content of the Programme for Government (Government for National Recovery 2011 – 2016) and setting out the principles to underpin the development of housing policy into the medium term. This policy framework statement contained an announcement in relation to the transfer of responsibility for providing for the housing needs of long term rent supplement recipients to housing authorities on a phased basis.

This transfer of tenants from rent supplement to the local authorities will help achieve a key Government commitment of removing barriers to employment and return rent supplement to its original intention of a short–term income support payment. A steering group has been established by Minister Penrose to oversee the development of the project and a number of working groups have been established to address the wide range of complex issues arising. Subject to the successful conclusion of the work of the steering group, it is the intention to bring proposals to Government later in 2011. A date to begin implementing the new arrangements can then be formally agreed. There are no plans to transfer staff from the Department to the local authorities.

No discussions have taken place between the Department and the National Assets Management Agency on using their properties to reduce expenditure on rent supplement. Rent supplement is specifically for the benefit of tenants to assist them with their accommodation needs and the Department does not source/rent properties on behalf of tenants. If the Department were to rent properties directly from the National Assets Management Agency or any other major landlord then it would significantly change the administration and operation of the rent supplement scheme. A change such as this would incur additional obligations and responsibilities on the Department and would lead to rent supplement becoming a housing solution rather than an income support payment as it is currently intended.

However, I understand that discussions have taken place with NAMA and the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government in relation to utilising NAMA properties to provide such housing solutions. I can confirm that where a claimant's safety and well-being are at risk, staff in the Department have been provided with special discretionary powers to make a payment to meet the person's accommodation need.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 26: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will amend the rules of the back to education allowance scheme to allow persons to undertake a course at a qualification level below one already held when the qualification they hold is in a field with no jobs and within which jobs are not likely to emerge in any significant numbers in the foreseeable future. [29056/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The focus of the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) 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 BTEA scheme can offer participation in second and third level education by enabling eligible people in receipt of certain social welfare payments to continue to receive a payment while pursuing an approved full-time education course that leads to a higher qualification than that already held.

A person wishing to pursue BTEA will have to satisfy a number of conditions such as being a certain age, in receipt of a prescribed social welfare payment for a specified time period, pursuing a full time course of study leading to a recognised qualification in a recognised college and progressing in the level of education held by the client with reference to the national framework of qualifications among others.

Progression has always been a fundamental condition of BTEA. State support for education purposes is grounded on a student progressing from one qualification level to a higher one. This is necessary to ensure displacement does not occur, in that courses could be offered to students who are not progressing at the cost of students progressing from a lower education level. It should be noted that, in the 2010/2011 academic year, of the 25,032 participants supported through BTEA, 43% pursued second level courses. Furthermore, the scheme was never intended to be an alternative form of funding for people entering or re-entering the third level education system.

However, if a person wishes to pursue a part time education course they may be able to do so while still obtaining their jobseeker's payment. They must apply at their local social welfare office and verify that participation on the course does not reduce their availability for work. In the case of jobseekers benefit, participation on a course does not grant any extension to the normal period for which jobseekers benefit is paid.

On May 10th, as part of the Government's Jobs Initiative, 20,900 new and additional places were announced in training, education and work experience programmes. As part of this initiative, a new fund, entitled Springboard, which is being managed by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills, provides education and training opportunities to support unemployed people. The primary objective of Springboard is to help unemployed people to remain as close as possible to the labour market by accessing part-time flexible higher education and training opportunities to upskill or reskill in areas where sustainable employment opportunities may arise as the economy recovers.

The target group for this programme of over 200 courses includes unemployed people with a previous history of employment who already hold a higher level qualification at NFQ Levels 6 to 9, who may also require additional upskilling or reskilling in order to re-enter employment. By way of the part-time education option, unemployed people on jobseekers' payments will be facilitated in retaining their payment, subject to continuing entitlement, within the broader back to education framework.

FÁS, as the National Training Authority, anticipates the needs of, and responds to, a constantly changing labour market. It strives to do this through the provision of tailored training programmes that suit various needs. Access to many training programmes is not determined by a person's welfare status. Through a regional network of 66 offices and 20 training centres, FÁS operates these training programmes including some in co-operation with community, voluntary and statutory organisations. Further information is available locally at these FÁS offices. The BTEA, in conjunction with other employment support schemes, will be monitored on an ongoing basis to ensure that it continues to meet its objectives.