Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the discussions he has had with the Department of Social Protection regarding changes to the qualification criteria for the back to education allowance to enable those who are unemployed to qualify sooner for the back to education allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43072/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Eligibility for the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) and associated payments is determined and administered by the Department of Social Protection.

The BTEA is a second chance education opportunities scheme designed to enable participation in second and third level education by allowing eligible people on 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.

While any changes to the qualifying criteria for the Back to Education Allowance Scheme are a matter for my colleague the Minister for Social Protection, my Department is in ongoing contact with the Department of Social Protection in relation to the provision of supports for unemployed people accessing education and training.