Paul Connaughton (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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70. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider reassessing the access that unemployed persons whose spouses are working have to training courses or upskilling options; if she will consider changing the current regime in order that persons precluded from receiving social welfare payments because their spouses are working could access back-to-work aids such as access to training places or upskilling options; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25536/15]

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The key objective of activation policy and labour market initiatives is to offer assistance to those most in need of support in securing work and achieving financial self-sufficiency.

This policy objective therefore prioritises scarce resources to those in receipt of qualifying welfare payments. Accordingly the employment services and schemes provided by the Department are focused in the first instance on this cohort of unemployed people.

However, many services are available to people who are not in receipt of a social welfare payment. For example employment services, such as advice on job-search activities and the use of online job search tools, are available to people if they register with the Department's employment services offices regardless of their social welfare status.

With specific reference to upskilling opportunities, unemployed persons not in receipt of payments are eligible to avail of such opportunities, for example through ETB training for unemployed people (at present there are 1,009 upcoming day courses and 552 upcoming evening courses). Although not eligible to receive a training allowance while undertaking the course, they may receive some support for expenses on travel, meals and accommodation.

Additionally, an unemployed person who does not qualify for a social welfare payment due to the assessment of their means may be eligible to sign for social insurance contribution credits.

Persons who sign for credits for three months (78 days) of the last six months are eligible to participate in the JobBridge programme.

Persons signing on for credits for 12 months or longer over the previous 18 months are entitled to participate on Momentum courses through Solas, provided that they have been actively seeking work, although they will not receive any payment. Persons signing for credits for six months or more are entitled to participate on ETB-run VTOS courses subject to availability. In the case of VTOS courses, participants do not receive a training allowance but may receive travel and lunch allowances. Springboard and Skillnets courses for unemployed people, funded through the Department of Education and Skills, are also open to people regardless of their social welfare status.

The Pathways to Work 2015 strategy includes a commitment to develop and evaluate actions to extend services to people not on the Live Register and improve the promotion/communication of existing activation options. This will be considered in the light of the developing labour market and budgetary context.

In short, the Government is committed to supporting as many people as possible to participate more fully in employment and to become more self-sufficient by providing supports that address barriers they may encounter in finding and sustaining employment.