Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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286. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the additional funding he will make available under the training support grant when a person's retraining costs exceed €500; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16819/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Training Support Grant (TSG) is designed to fund quick access to short-term training where this cannot be provided by a state provider within a reasonable time or where a intervention is identified that can support individual jobseekers to access work opportunities.

The scheme is activation focused and the jobseeker is required to provide reasonable evidence or grounds of need (for example in the form of a potential job offer) or a requirement to maintain or achieve accreditation, for example, safe pass, driving licences certain certification such as required for the catering sector (HACCP) or the security industry permit. Access to the scheme is via the Department’s case officers. A maximum amount of €500 may be made available to a jobseeker within a 12 month period, where appropriate. There are no proposals at present to increase this amount.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy