Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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358. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if provisions were made to accommodate distance learning throughout the pandemic for those in receipt of social welfare payments; and if so, the number of courses available and or number of persons who registered and availed of these courses by county in tabular form. [36242/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Department's Back to Education Allowance provides income support for people who wish to pursue full time second or third level courses. There were approximately 6,400 students supported through the BTEA for the 2020/2021 academic year. Entitlement to BTEA was not impacted on the basis that the approved course may have been provided through blended or distance learning throughout the pandemic.

Details of the number of persons registered or courses available to accommodate distance learning is not a matter for my Department. This should be addressed to the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.

I trust this clarifies the matter for you.