Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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50. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will restore the full adult rate of social welfare to young persons engaged in education, training and work experience in the upcoming budget to support young persons in gaining the skills and qualifications they need to obtain employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34809/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Reduced rates for younger jobseeker’s allowance recipients were first introduced in 2009 for those aged 18 and 19. The reduced rates have been extended over the intervening years and now apply to jobseeker’s allowance recipients under 26 years of age.

The reduced rates do not apply to certain categories of jobseeker, for example those with a qualified child or those whose claim is linked to a previous claim at the higher rate made within the previous 12 months.

The reduced rates for young jobseekers are a targeted measure aimed at protecting young people from welfare dependency. The measure aims to incentivise young jobseeker’s allowance recipients to avail of education and training opportunities. If a jobseeker in receipt of the reduced jobseeker’s allowance rate participates on an education or training programme they will receive a higher weekly payment.

There are a wide range of education and training opportunities available through the Department of Social Protection and the Department of Education and Skills. These opportunities for jobseekers support them in strengthening their qualifications and skills base thereby maximising their chances of meeting the requirements of the modern labour market and gaining employment. These opportunities include the back to education allowance scheme, Education and Training Board (ETB) training courses, VEC education courses, Tús and JobBridge - the national internship scheme.

There is a network of case officers at a local level who work with social welfare recipients to identify appropriate training or development programmes for them. Young jobseekers who participate on an education or training programme will receive a higher weekly payment. For example, young jobseekers who participate in the tús programme will have their payment increased to €208 per week and jobseekers who attend ETB training courses will have their payment increased to €160 per week.

The Department of Social Protection administers the back to education allowance scheme (BTEA) which is an educational opportunities scheme for persons in receipt of certain social welfare payments wishing to pursue second or third level courses of education subject to meeting the qualifying conditions. The objective of the scheme is to raise educational and skills levels to enable them to better access to emerging labour market needs in line with the Government’s activation strategy set out in Pathways to Work. For persons under the age of 26 who are in receipt of an age related jobseekers payment, a personal maximum rate of €160 applies. The full year cost of increasing the back to education allowance rate to €188 per week for recipients aged under 26 years is estimated at a maximum of €6.6 million. These costs are subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients for 2016.

However, it should be noted this cost only refers to the back to education allowance. If young jobseekers attending ETB training courses were to receive an increased payment of €188 this would have cost implications for the Department of Education and Skills. Any change to provision in this area would be a matter for Government to consider in a budgetary context.