Brendan Ryan (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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656. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a review of the eligibility criteria for the back to education allowance is scheduled particularly for those in part-time employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43789/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Back to Education Allowance scheme (BTEA) 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.

Entitlement to BTEA is conditional on having ongoing entitlement to the qualifying scheme payment.BTEA participants with eligibility based on jobseekers, transitional jobseekers or one parent family payments who engage in part-time work will be assessed in accordance with their primary payment.  This measure ensures that only participants who continue to satisfy the means test of their primary payment or another qualifying BTEA payment will continue to receive income support under BTEA and that resources are directed at those most in need of assistance.

There are no plans to review the eligibility criteria of the BTEA scheme at this time.

I trust this clarifies the matter.