Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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854. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of extending the cost of education allowance to all recipients of the back to education allowance. [30347/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The back to education allowance scheme (BTEA) 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 BTEA is designed primarily to support second chance education.

Budget 2017 introduced a new €500 annual cost of education allowance for parents, including lone parents, encouraging them into education by helping to reduce their childcare costs. The cost of education allowance was made available to BTEA participants with children from the 2017/18 academic year.

Based on the number of students in receipt of BTEA for the academic year 2017/18 the estimated cost of extending the cost of education allowance to all recipients would be some €5.4 million. The number of participants on BTEA for this academic year was 10,840 (October 2017). Any such changes would have to be considered in a budgetary context and within the scope of the overall resources available for welfare improvements.

The BTEA is not intended to be an alternative form of funding for people entering or re-entering the third level education system. The Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) grant payable by the Department of Education and Skills represents the primary support for persons pursuing education. In general, most BTEA customers will also have certain registration and related college fees paid by SUSI.

BTEA continues to support those people who are most distant from the labour market and whose need is greatest.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.