Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 November 2006
131 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if an upper age limit exists regarding eligibility for the back to education allowance scheme; his plans to remove same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40994/06]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe back to education allowance is a second chance education opportunities scheme designed to encourage and facilitate people on certain social welfare payments to improve their skills and qualifications and, therefore, their prospects of returning to the active work force.
To qualify for participation an applicant must, inter alia, be in receipt of a relevant social welfare payment and at least 21 years of age prior to commencing an approved course of study. Persons in receipt of disability related payments may access the scheme at 18 years of age. Similarly, lone parents and persons in receipt of unemployment payments can qualify at 18 years of age provided they are out of formal education for at least 2 years. A list of the qualifying Social Welfare payments is set out in the following tabular statement. There is no upper age limit for this scheme.
To qualify for the Back-To-Education Allowance, a person must be in receipt of one of the following Payments
Job Seekers Allowance
Farm Assist
One Parent Family Payment
Deserted Wife's Allowance
Non Contributory State Pension
Widows/Widowers Contributory Pension
Prisoners Wife's Allowance
Disability Allowance
Blind Pension
Invalidity Pension
Unemployability Supplement
Carer's Allowance
Illness Benefit (in receipt of for at least 3 years).
