Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection is there any consideration being given to applicants of the back to education allowance who have had to change careers due the downturn in the industry that were trained in to follow a new career and who now might not be eligible for the BTEA because they already have a qualification higher than the one for which they are applying; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43671/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The back to education allowance (BTEA) is a second chance education opportunities scheme designed to remove the barriers to participation in second and third level education by enabling those 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 the back to education allowance 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 in education is a condition which is not unique to BTEA, indeed 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. BTEA guidelines are, in the main, in line with the mechanisms in place for similar student supports administered by the Department of Education and Skills and require student progression from one qualification level to a higher one. Furthermore, the BTEA scheme is not intended to be an alternative form of funding for people entering or re-entering the third level education system.

My Department is currently reviewing a wide range of activation supports available to DSP customers, including BTEA, and it is my intention to canvass the views of stakeholders as part of the implementation process resulting from the review.