Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

54. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the cost of increasing the rate of back to education allowance for young persons aged under 26 to €188 per week. [25515/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) provides income support for jobseekers and others in receipt of certain social welfare payments that pursue courses of education at second or third level. The value of the BTEA weekly payment is equivalent to the weekly rate on the underlying qualifying payment, except in the case of jobseekers who are on an age-related jobseeker allowance payment. Jobseekers who on such payments receive a weekly payment of €160 if approved for BTEA, subject to any deductions for means.

The Department estimates that some 6,000 jobseekers are currently in receipt of an age-related BTEA payment. The cost of increasing the rate of the allowance from €160 to €188 per week (an increase of €28 per week for each affected participant) would be of the order of €6.6 million per year.

PREVIOUS QUESTION ON SAME ISSUE FROM 26 MAY 2015

210.Deputy Jonathan O'Brienasked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protectionthe cost of increasing the back to education allowance to €188 for persons under 26 years of age.[20299/15]

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Joan Burton): The Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) provides income support for jobseekers and others in receipt of certain social welfare payments that pursue courses of education at second or third level. The value of the BTEA weekly payment is equivalent to the weekly rate on the underlying qualifying payment, except in the case of jobseekers who are on an age-related jobseeker allowance payment. Jobseekers who on such payments receive a weekly payment of €160 if approved for BTEA, subject for any deductions for means.

The Department estimates that some 6,000 jobseekers are currently in receipt of an age-related BTEA payment. The cost of increasing the rate of the allowance from €160 to €188 per week (an increase of €28 per week for each affected participant) would be of the order of €6.6 million per year.