Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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1143. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the supports that are available to support a young person who is on JobPath with an organisation (details supplied) and is trying to access funding to undertake a bus and coach driving instructor course; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30622/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I wish to thank the Deputy for the question.  Without the particular details for the individual concerned I am unable to make enquires into the particular circumstance that the Deputy raises.

However, the following broad principles apply.  Participants on JobPath receive intensive individual support to help overcome barriers to employment and to find employment.  Each person is assigned a personal advisor who assesses their skills, experience, challenges and work goals and agrees a personal progression plan, that includes a schedule of activities, including relevant training and educational programmes to assist them in finding full-time sustainable employment.  There are no barriers to any participants pursuing further education and training courses, provided they are relevant to the agreed personal progression plan.

JobPath providers have their own discretionary funds available to pay for training or other interventions; the decision to approve a request for funding is at the discretion of the JobPath provider.  They will consider the duration, cost and relevance to the customer’s job goal preferences.  The prevalence of employment opportunities in the sector will also be considered along with the likelihood that the customer secures full-time employment upon completion of the course. 

Several courses are provided in-house while others are provided by specialist training providers including the Education and Training Boards (ETBs).

I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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1144. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person (details supplied) in County Kerry is eligible for a hair piece and wig under the treatment benefit scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30629/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The hair replacement benefit is an annual benefit of up to €500 available to persons who satisfy the medical requirements and the PRSI conditions of the Department’s Treatment Benefit scheme.

The payment will assist people who have suffered hair loss due to a disease or treatment of a disease such as cancer or certain types of alopecia to purchase a hair replacement product.

In the circumstances of the named person, in order to qualify for treatment benefit a PRSI contributor must have a total of 260 paid contributions at class A/E/H/P/S since starting work and also have 39 contributions paid or credited in the relevant contribution year on which the claim is based,  which currently is 2020. 

The named person has the required number of PRSI contributions paid to qualify for the treatment benefit scheme.

Details of the qualifying medical conditions and the providers registered with the Department to provide hair replacement products are available on the gov.ie website 

Should the named person meet the medical requirement and wish to avail of the benefit, they should attend a hair replacement provider registered with the Department and provide confirmation of their medical condition.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.