Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will explain the encouragement the State gives to a cohort of students (details supplied); if she believes that such students should abandon their studies and apply to the live register; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14729/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Department operates a range of employment support measures designed to encourage and support social welfare recipients of working age to reduce their dependency on welfare payments. Amongst the supports available are the back to education allowance scheme (BTEA) and the part time education option (PTEO) for persons who will to avail of a course of education. These supports may be available to persons on qualifying social welfare payments.

Eligibility conditions attached to BTEA include that a person must be in receipt of a relevant social welfare payment, if under the age of 21 years must be out of formal education for at least two years and pursuing a full time course of education leading to a recognised qualification. BTEA is essentially a social welfare replacement income which is paid in lieu of the relevant social welfare payment that qualifies the applicant for participation in the scheme.

However, if a person wishes to pursue a part time education course they may be able to do so while retaining their jobseekers payment under PTEO of the back to education programme. They must apply at their local social welfare office and verify that participation on the course does not reduce their availability for work and that they are genuinely seeking work.

As the Deputy is aware from a previous parliamentary question raised, the person in question is not, nor have they ever been, in receipt of a social welfare payment in their own right. According to records, the person concerned is attending a training course and on related work placement for a total of five days per week until June 2013. The Department of Social Protection does not offer specific income supports for students outside of the back to education programme.