Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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136. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of restoring the cuts to the SOLAS training allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18459/17]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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The training allowance, funded by my Department through SOLAS, paid to participants on Further Education and Training (FET) courses is based on Department of Social Protection payment rates.In the case of participants on FET courses, aged under 26 their Social Protection rate was maxed up to €160 per week. 

The increase to €193 per week for jobseekers aged under 26, announced in Budget 2017, will be paid from September 2017 to all eligible participants on Further Education and Training courses in line with the Department of Social Protection Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) payment.

Participants' means are taken into account in deciding the level of payment to those in receipt of  BTEA and this will also apply to participants on FET courses.

The estimated cost of implementing this increase in the allowance to FET participants will be just over €4 million.