Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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519. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the supports available to those in receipt of jobseeker’s allowance that must complete a course in advance of commencing employment (details supplied); her views on whether required pre-employment course costs are often prohibitive to those that want to work but cannot due to the fact they are unable to fund the necessary course; her plans to provide funding to ensure such costs do not remain as barriers to employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24023/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My department provides assistance to jobseekers through a training support grant to fund quick access to short term training. The grant can be provided where an immediate skills gap is identified that represents an obstacle to taking up a job offer or accessing other opportunities. Courses up to and including QQI level 6 can be supported, including PASS courses.

This grant provides the financial resources to respond to the identified training needs of a jobseeker. This grant assisted approximately 5,600 jobseekers with short-term training needs in 2019. As part of the July Jobs Stimulus the funding available to a jobseeker increased from €500 per year to €1,000.

If there is a particular case that the Deputy has a concern about the details should be forwarded to my Department for review.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.