Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 29: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider amending the back to education allowance scheme to allow students involved in the youth reach programme to proceed directly to further education and remain eligible for BETA without having to sign on to the live register for a period of up to three months to break the cycle of dependency on jobseeker's allowance and ensure students can transition smoothly between education providers (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39239/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The back to education allowance (BTEA) scheme is a second chance education opportunities scheme designed to remove the barriers to participation in second and third level education by enabling eligible people on social welfare to continue to receive a payment while pursuing an approved full-time education course that leads to a higher qualification than that already held.

An applicant must be in receipt of a relevant social welfare payment for a minimum period immediately prior to commencing an approved course of study to qualify for the back to education allowance. This requirement has always been a feature of the BTEA scheme and is considered necessary to ensure that limited resources are directed at those most in need.

Periods spent on Youth Reach can count towards the qualifying period for BTEA provided the person establishes an entitlement to a relevant social welfare payment such as jobseekers' allowance prior to, or after the completion of a Youth Reach programme.

Initial work on a review of certain activation measures has commenced. The format of the review has recently been agreed and it will take a number of months to complete. Current BTEA conditions such as those which pertain to youth reach will be examined in this context.