John Lyons (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 238: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will assist in the payment of child dependant allowance to a VTOS participant (details supplied) in view of the fact that the only income for one month to their household will be this payment. [11132/12]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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The person referred to by the Deputy is attending a Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) course operated by City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee (VEC). VTOS participants who are in receipt of Job Seekers Benefit or Jobseekers Allowance are paid a weekly training allowance by the relevant VEC in lieu of their Department of Social Protection payment. VECs obtain details from the Department of Social Protection of the payment that each participant is in receipt of and their VTOS training allowance is set at this rate for the duration of the programme.

The VTOS participant referred to by the Deputy was in receipt of the personal rate of Job Seekers Benefit from the Department of Social Protection when he joined the VTOS programme. This payment did not include a dependant adult or dependant child allowance therefore he is not entitled to payment of a dependant child allowance as part of the VTOS training allowance.