Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department provides a range of educational supports to assist people to develop their skills to regain employment. These supports include the Back to Education Allowance, the Training Support Grant and options which allow a jobseeker to retain their Jobseeker's payment while they take part in a training or education course.

The Back to Education Allowance provides income support for jobseekers and others in receipt of certain social welfare payments who pursue full time courses of education at further or higher level. The focus of the scheme is to assist social welfare recipients to improve their qualifications and as a result improve their access to sustainable employment. The Government has provided €49.08 million for the scheme in 2023.

Jobseekers awarded Statutory Redundancy under the Redundancy Payments Acts 1967 as amended have access to the Back to Education Allowance scheme immediately on being made redundant or within one year of the award of the Statutory Redundancy. The jobseeker must establish an entitlement to a qualifying social welfare payment immediately prior to commencement of an approved course of study.

The Back to Education Allowance scheme also supports students who participate on courses provided through the Government's Springboard+ and Human Capital Initiative. These initiatives offer free and heavily subsidised courses at certificate, degree, and masters level leading to qualifications in areas where there are employment opportunities in the economy.

The Training Support Grant provides quick access to short-term training to support jobseekers access work opportunities. The grant is used to meet a skills gap or training need where this cannot be provided by a state provider within a reasonable time, and in cases where an intervention is needed to access a work opportunity. To be eligible for the Training Support Grant a customer must be in receipt of a qualifying payment and meet the conditions of the scheme. There is no waiting period.

The Part-Time Education Option enables jobseekers to retain their Jobseeker's payment while undertaking a part-time course of study, provided that they continue to satisfy the conditions of being available for and genuinely seeking employment on an on-going basis.

The Education, Training and Development Option enables jobseekers to retain their Jobseeker's payment while undertaking full time courses of study of short duration. To qualify for this option a person must be in receipt of Jobseeker's payment for at least 6 months immediately prior to commencing an approved course.

Any person seeking to return to education should engage with their local Intreo Centre. The Employment Services team provides help and advice on employment, training and personal development opportunities, with a focus on individual customer needs to help them enter the workforce.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.