Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason whereby those that satisfy the qualifying period for the back to education allowance for 234 days on jobseeker's benefit or allowance must in addition satisfy a qualifying period of 391 days on jobseeker's benefit or allowance in order to receive the special rate fee grant specifically as it applies to those doing postgraduate studies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58086/12]

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 scheme was established to assist people who have been out of the workforce for some time and whose opportunities of obtaining employment would be enhanced by participation in the scheme. In this regard, I understand that it is a requirement of eligibility to have been getting a qualifying social welfare payment for set periods of time.

My Department's statutory based Student Grant Scheme has its own particular qualifying terms and conditions. In order to qualify for the special rate of grant the Student Grant Scheme specifies that the reckonable income must include one of the eligible payments listed in Schedule 2, of the Scheme, on the specified date – i.e. 31 December of the relevant period. In the case of Jobseeker's Allowance and Jobseeker's Benefit the payments must be held for 391 days and 12 months respectively. The Scheme makes provision for combining periods of Jobseeker's Allowance and Jobseeker's Benefit and other eligible payments for the purposes of meeting 391 days.

Those students who meet the qualifying conditions for the special rate of grant will be eligible to have their post-graduate tuition fee paid up to the maximum fee limit under the Student Grant Scheme, subject to those students meeting all the relevant terms and conditions of the scheme.