John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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93. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) has been denied an opportunity to enhance their employability through a masters degree, by the rejection of an application for back to education allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31097/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The person concerned applied for a payment under the back to education scheme for a postgraduate course (a Master of Education – Level 9) on 19 May 2016 for the 2016/2017 academic year. As this person already holds a post graduate qualification (a Higher Diploma in Further Education), the application was refused on the basis that a person who holds a Higher Diploma cannot pursue a Masters qualification under this scheme. I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.