Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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53. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the steps she will take to provide assistance to jobseekers to meet transport and subsistence costs associated with participation in skillsnet training; and if she has discussed this with the Department of Education and Skills. [43375/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Skillnets is a state-funded, enterprise-led support body dedicated to the promotion and facilitation of training and up-skilling as key elements in sustaining Ireland's national competitiveness. They support and fund networks of enterprises engaged in training under a Training Networks Programme. If persons wishes to pursue a part time education course they may be able to do so while retaining their jobseekers payment under the Part Time Education Option (PTEO) of the back to education programme. The Department supports the provision of a wide variety of Skillnets training, delivered by networks of private sector companies in a range of sectors and regions, mainly via the PTEO. The PTEO allows participants to attend part-time day/evening or weekend courses of education or training and retain their jobseekers payment while an entitlement exists provided that they continue to satisfy the conditions of being available for and genuinely seeking employment on an on-going basis. Payment is made at the same rate as the primary payment and no maximisation of payments occurs.

While generally out of pocket expenses are not paid in respect of such courses, in circumstances where a person receiving a relevant social welfare payment agrees to attend a specified short-term course of education, training or development that is specifically initiated and organised by a Department’s case officer s/he will be paid Out of Pocket Expenses.

There are no plans to change these conditions. The Department is in on-going contact with the Department of Education and Skills with regard to issues of support to social welfare recipients engaged in education and training.