Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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483. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the anomaly between his Department and the Department for Social Protection in relation to the assessment of grants for the back to education scheme as in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35455/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for SUSI to determine. For the 2022/23 academic year, student grant applications will be assessed based on gross income from all sources for the period 1st January 2021 to 31st December 2021.

Particular priority is afforded to those on the lowest incomes and social welfare dependents through the special rate of grant, which is payable at the higher non-adjacent rate of €6,115 or the adjacent rate of €2,575, depending on the distance travelled to the college attended. 

In assessing an application for the 2022/23 academic year, SUSI will have regard to the following qualifying criteria for the special rate of maintenance grant:

1. The student must qualify for the standard rate of grant;

2. Total reckonable income, after income disregards and Child Dependent Increase(s) are excluded, must not exceed €24,500;

3. As at 31st December 2021, the reckonable income must include one of the eligible long-term social welfare payments prescribed in Schedule 2 of the Student Grant Scheme 2022.

The student to whom the Deputy refers has been awarded the full Band 1 non-adjacent rate of maintenance grant, together with 100% rate of Student Contribution/Tuition Fees whichever applies by SUSI on 31^stMay 2022.  As the student was not in receipt of an eligible special rate payment on 31^stDecember 2021 she could not be awarded the special rate of grant.  The student is currently proceeding through the appeals process in SUSI.

Any student who believes his/her student grant application has been assessed incorrectly may also avail of the opportunities to appeal to SUSI and subsequently to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board within the prescribed timeline.

Students in receipt of the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) are not eligible for maintenance support under the student grant scheme, as this would result in a duplication of income support payments. However, students in receipt of BTEA, may be considered for SUSI fee supports up to a maximum of €6,270.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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484. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason that early school leaver applicants to community training centres must be in receipt of a welfare payment whereas similar applicants to YouthReach programmes do not have the same requirement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35506/22]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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485. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to standardise the access and eligibility criteria across ETB YouthReach and Community Training centre YouthReach programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35507/22]

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 484 and 485 together.

The Youthreach programme aims to provide early school leavers with the knowledge, skills and confidence required to participate fully in society and progress to further education, training and employment. The programme is delivered in two settings, Youthreach centres and Community Training Centres (CTCs). The ESRI’s Evaluation of the National Youthreach Programmes in 2019 found that the Youthreach programmes had significant value in re-engaging a vulnerable group of young people with learning, providing courses and a multiplicity of approaches tailored to their individual needs and embedding education and training provision within a broader network of supports.

The operation of the Youthreach programme in both settings is subject to Operator Guidelines in the case of Youthreach centres dating from 2015 and to Operating Standards for the CTCs dating from 2013.

The primary target group for Youthreach Centres is young people between 16 and 20 years of age. Those aged 15 years of age may, as an exceptional measure, be admitted to the Youthreach centres where they have left school with no possibility of return. This age group are not admissible to CTCs, who were set up by local community organisations to cater primarily for early school leavers between 16 and 21 years. Youthreach participants aged 16 and 17 in either setting receive an age-related training allowance, currently €45 per week. Learners over 18 years of age entering CTCs must undergo a Department of Social Protection (DSP) means test before they can qualify and receive their training allowance. However, learners in Youthreach centres are paid the training allowance once they are not in receipt of a DSP payment. When a learner starts on a Youthreach programme, The DSP are immediately informed to ensure no double payment takes place. This difference is historical in nature.

In its response to the ESRI Evaluation, SOLAS made a series of recommendations which included that ETBs should work together to develop and adopt a uniform approach to programme referral and entry into Youthreach based on existing good practice. SOLAS also proposed that the role of Youthreach programme guidelines be reviewed, given the central role of ETB planning and funding parameters in setting requirements from FET provision, and a cross-FET guidebook on programme practice should be developed to ensure clarity around programme expectations leading to clear pathways of progression opportunities for learners.

A key priority of Future FET: Transforming Learning, the national Further Education and Training (FET) Strategy 2020-2024 is to ensure consistency of support for all learners. SOLAS is pursuing the implementation of its recommendations through the National FET Strategy and as part of the Strategic Performance Agreement process in conjunction with individual Education and Training Boards.

An Operational Guidelines Working Group (OGWG) has been established by ETBI to review the operational guidelines applying to CTCs, and Specialist Training Provision as well as Local Training Initiatives within the FET Sector. The Group, comprising of FET Staff from a number of ETBs will review the Guidelines and revise/update as required. They will look at areas such as deficiencies, common areas, good practices, siloed practices/outdated practices and ensure the learner is represented in delivering high quality ETB programmes to meet the needs of that learner. The OGWG is due to report to the ETB FET Directors later in 2022 and I expect that it will address the issues raised by the Deputy.