Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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532. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection why, when persons are assessed as being long-term unemployed with respect to JobPath, having completed a Springboard programme, they are excluded from eligibility for a conversion course due to the fact they are not deemed to be long-term unemployed; her plans to make changes in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26272/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Springboard+ is a specific initiative that strategically targets funding of free higher education courses for jobseekers in areas where there are identified labour market skills shortages or employment opportunities. Courses to date have been delivered in areas such ICT, Manufacturing which includes the biopharma sector, Construction, Entrepreneurship, Cross-Enterprise Skills, the Hospitality Sector and International Financial Services.

In order to participate in a Springboard course as laid out by the Higher Education Authority, participants must be unemployed. Participants on ICT Conversion Courses are not required to be unemployed. However, in order to receive income support/credits participants of all courses must qualify for Back to Education Allowance for full-time courses of study.

JobPath is an activation service for Jobseekers. JobPath does not interrupt duration on Jobseekers payment and participants are permitted to be considered for conversion courses such as Springboard.

For customers of this Department a qualifying period of 9 months (234 days) is required for full-time Springboard+ third level courses under BTEA. If a person in receipt of a jobseekers payment or engaged in activation receives an offer of a place on a full-time Springboard+ course, they should attend their Local Intreo /Social Welfare Office or Branch Office to complete an application to retain their payment via the Back to Education Allowance prior to starting the course.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.