Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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443. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of persons under 25 years of age who were in receipt of a reduced Youthreach social welfare payment in each of the years 2012 to 2014 and in 2015 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17661/15]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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My Department funds the Youthreach programme through SOLAS, the Further Education and Training Authority. The Programme is delivered locally by Education and Training Boards. The information requested by the Deputy is not available in my Department as each ETB administers their own training allowance payment system.

There is no requirement for learners in Youthreach to be eligible for a Department of Social Protection payment in order to qualify for a training allowance. Youthreach learners are mainly in the 16 to 20 age group with a small number aged up to 25. Learners in receipt of a One Parent Family payment or a Disability payment continue to receive their payment from D/SP and do not receive a training allowance from ETBs.

The rate of weekly training allowance payable to Youthreach students over the last four years is as follows: 2015 - 18 years and over €160, 16 & 17 years €40; 2014 - 18 years and over €160, 6 & 17 years €40; 2013 - 18 years and over €160, 16 & 17 years €40; 2012 - 18 years and over €188, 16 & 17 years €40.

A small number of students may also have received a long term unemployed bonus payment of €20 per week. The payment of this long term unemployed bonus payment ceased for all new entrants with effect from 1 January 2014.

A meal allowance of €4 per week is payable to Youthreach students during each of these years. Some students were also eligible to receive a travel allowance which was based on distance from the Youthreach Centre.