Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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194. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will revise the rules related to progression in the back to education allowance, to allow those persons undertaking teaching qualifications to become further education teachers, and receive the allowance, even where their teaching course is at a level below their highest qualification. [37615/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) scheme is designed to support second chance education. It enables eligible persons to continue to receive income support for the duration of an approved educational course of study, subject to meeting certain conditions. The key objective of the BTEA is to target resources at those most distant from the labour market due to their lack of education or skills. The applicant in question already holds a MSc degree and does not meet the criteria for BTEA. This approach is consistent with the mechanisms in place for student supports administered by the Department of Education and Skills and Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI).