Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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133. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will confirm that there will be no further cuts to the back to education allowance scheme in Budget 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31150/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The objective of the Department’s working age employment supports, including the back to education allowance, is to remove barriers to employment in order to help people to enter or remain in employment. This is an integral part of the implementation of the Pathways to Work policy and the activation of jobseekers.

In 2013, €1,056 million is being provided for this programme, an increase of €102 million or 10.7 %. As well as back to education allowance this programme provides other supports for jobseekers through payments such as community employment, rural social scheme, Tús, back to work allowance, JobBridge and a range of other schemes.

The Deputy will be aware that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform's Expenditure Report 2013 published with the Budget last December provides for additional new expenditure reduction measures of €440 million to be achieved in 2014 in the Department of Social Protection budget. The Government have not made any decisions to date in relation to expenditure measures to be introduced in 2014.