Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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216. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if now that FÁS has been amagamated with the Department of Social Protection, if the payment schedules for both can be brought into line with each other, as persons on jobseeker's payment when transferring to a FÁS course must wait for their payment as they get paid a week in hand; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this is stopping many persons from taking part in a course; and if he plans to alter this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27387/13]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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The reason there is a back week in payment of FÁS training allowances is that all of the necessary information must be uploaded in the week that the trainee starts, to begin payment for the next week. The trainees arrive at the start of the course with the up-to-date F103 form duly completed and stamped by Department of Social Protection. This form is the basis for eligibility for the training allowance. The allowance is therefore paid the week after the trainee commences their course.