Patrick Nulty (Dublin West, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will commit to the restoration of the cost of education once off payment, paid to those in receipt of the back to education allowance, from €300 to €500; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52336/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Revised Estimates for the Department of Social Protection provide for expenditure in 2012 of nearly €20.55 billion. These include expenditure of just over €183million on the back to education allowance including some €8 million on the cost of education allowance.

The Government is considering the appropriate level of expenditure on the wide variety and schemes and services to be operated by the Department in 2013, including back to education allowances and grants, in the context of the forthcoming Budget. The outcome will be announced next week on Budget Day.