Noel Rock (Dublin North West, Fine Gael)
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307. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if he will include persons who are participating in part-time study courses under the back to education allowance scheme. [15682/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Social Protection provides a wide range of second chance education opportunities for unemployed people, lone parents and people with disabilities under the back to education programme. The objective is to raise education and skills among the long term unemployed to meet the requirements of the modern labour market. The back to education programme provides a comprehensive range of options from which an unemployed person can choose the option appropriate to his/her needs.

The back to education programme includes the back to education allowance (BTEA), the education, training and development option (ET&D) and the part-time education option (PTEO).

A person wishing to pursue a course of study on the BTEA must be pursuing a full time course of study leading to a recognised qualification and progressing in their level of education.

A person wishing to undertake a part-time course can apply for approval under the education, training and development option (ET&D) or the part-time education option (PTEO) and may continue to receive, subject to satisfying certain conditions, his/her existing social welfare payment while attending recommended courses. The Department’s Intreo staff will be happy to advise an individual of the option that might best suit their needs.