Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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723. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware of the case of a person (details supplied) whose application for the back to education allowance was rejected; if he will make enquiries in respect of this case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25230/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The decision to refuse the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) application of the person concerned is correct and in line with the Department’s scheme rules which do not allow payment of BTEA for a degree course where the person concerned already holds a degree.

The BTEA scheme is designed to support second chance education. It enables eligible persons to pursue approved education courses and to continue to receive income support for the duration of a course of study, subject to meeting certain conditions.

The guidelines governing the operation of the programme are, in the main, in line with the mechanisms in place for student support type schemes administered by the Department of Education and Skills.

BTEA enables eligible persons to pursue approved full-time education courses that lead to a higher qualification than that already held. The

Progression in education is a condition to access BTEA and it should be noted that is not a requirement unique to the BTWEA scheme as other State supports for education purposes are grounded on a student progressing from one qualification level to a higher one.

The BTEA has been extensively reviewed and amended over the past number of years to bring it in line with other educational and DSP supports and my Department has no plans to further alter the current criteria, as set out in the 2016 scheme guidelines.