Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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170. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the back to education allowance can be claimed without a waiting time for all traditional welfare payments and for the pandemic unemployment payment; and if the exact relaxation in rules which have been permitted relating to duration on welfare payments will be clarified. [29181/20]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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174. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the changes in the criteria for the back to education allowance under the July stimulus; and the duration for which the revised criteria will apply. [29197/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 170 and 174 together.

The Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) provides income support for jobseekers and certain others in receipt of social welfare payments who pursue full-time courses of education at second or third level. The main focus of the allowance is to assist qualifying applicants to improve their educational qualifications and their prospects of gaining employment.

The BTEA has been extended as part of the July Stimulus in response to Covid-19. Ordinarily a person must be in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment for a minimum period before being eligible to apply for the BTEA when pursuing training or education. The qualifying period has been waived for people on who are in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment. This provides that those who have lost their employment during the pandemic may have immediate access to a range of educational options where they transition to education. This measure will be kept under review and is now available for those taking up full-time education in the current academic year.

In order to avail of continued financial support while pursuing a full-time course of education, a person in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment should apply for a jobseeker payment. The BTEA will be payable at the jobseekers rate.

Any person seeking to return to education should engage with their local Intreo Centre to assess their options.

I trust this clarifies the issues.