Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Independent)
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117. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason the back to education allowance is not available to mature students who have become unemployed and who seek to reskill by doing a primary degree and then wish to continue to a masters; if there is any other support available for such students from her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22008/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Post-graduate courses that lead to a higher diploma in any discipline or the professional diploma in education (PDE) are the only eligible post-graduate courses supported under the back to education allowance programme (BTE). The professional masters in education (PME) will replace the current PDE from September 2014 and eligibility will be extended to this.

Other postgraduate qualifications (level 9 or level 10) including a masters qualification are not currently included. The focus of BTE is on providing income support to jobseekers in improving their education qualifications to access the labour market, meeting emerging skill needs and supporting those who have poor levels of educational attainment. Some €183m will be expended under BTEA in 2014 supporting around 25,000 jobseekers.

BTE is not intended to be an alternative form of funding for people entering or re-entering the third level education system. This Department does not offer specific supports for students pursuing third level qualifications outside of the BTE. The principal support towards full-time courses, in financial terms, is provided for under the student grant scheme administered by the Department of Education & Skills, which makes available means-tested financial assistance to eligible students in both further and higher education.