asked the Minister for Social Welfare the steps which he has taken to liberalise the position regarding unemployed people who wish to pursue educational courses, apart from the educational opportunities scheme introduced by the previous Government.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Educational Courses for Unemployed.
8.
The unemployment assistance and unemployment benefit schemes are statutory schemes and entitlement is subject to the condition that a person must be available for and genuinely seeking work. Full-time attendance by day at a course of education is generally not regarded as consistent with the requirement of being available for employment during the academic year. In the normal way income support for full-time students is not a function of the social security system.
However, I see a role for my Department in assisting unemployed people who have left the normal educational system and who would like to make constructive use of their time while looking for work by going back to complete a certificate-type course. It is for this reason that I have been considering an extension of the educational opportunities scheme. This scheme, which has been operating on a pilot basis in Limerick and Tallaght, enables certain categories of the long-term unemployed to engage in a full-time course of education while continuing to receive a payment equivalent to their unemployment payment.
As regards part-time educational courses, there is a considerable degree of flexibility within the legislation to allow unemployed claimants to participate in such courses while retaining their entitlement to their unemployment payment. Persons engaged in part-time courses would generally be able to fulfil the availability for work condition. Examples of such courses include literacy classes, mature students attending intermediate or leaving certificate classes for a few days a week, language or other courses pursued as a hobby and night classes.
The question of whether a person is available for work while participating in an education course, either on a full-time or part-time basis, is a matter to be decided by a deciding officer and each claim is considered on its merits. Once the deciding officer is satisfied that the education course being pursued does not place a restriction on the claimant's availability to take up employment, payment of assistance or benefit can continue to be made.
I had the whole matter examined last year with a view to introducing the greatest degree of flexibility possible within the terms of the benefit schemes. Comprehensive guidelines have been drawn up to assist deciding officers on the determination of claims by unemployed claimants who participate in education courses.
These guidelines make it clear that unemployed persons who have left the educational system — in particular the cycle for young persons — and who are trying to make constructive use of their time by part-time education while looking for work should have no difficulty in continuing to be eligible for benefit. Claimants over 25 years or so, for instance, would normally fall into this category. I am satisfied that Deputies will find that the guidelines provide sufficient flexibility to allow a liberal approach to be taken in the matter of education courses and unemployment payments.
I have arranged for a copy of the guidelines to be placed in the Dáil library.
Many unemployed people want to make decisions now in respect of the coming academic year. Does the Minister hold out any prospect of extending more widely the principles enshrined in the educational opportunities scheme introduced by his predecessor for the coming academic year?
I am anxious to extend it more widely. The Deputy can take it that I will be working with that objective in view.
Will the Minister accept that an early announcement is needed if people are to make plans for the coming academic year? If it is left too late people will not be able to get into courses in vocational and other schools.
I agree with the Deputy. I am treating it urgently. The principal question is the one of having the classes available in the particular school areas. I have the money available to let the people go on these courses.
Is the Minister confining his consideration to special classes? Would he not widen his consideration to allow people to go to classes that are already established for other people?
I would be happy to do that.
When can we expect an announcement?
I do not see any difficulty with that. There will be an announcement as soon as possible with a view to this autumn.
Would it be in the month of July?
I see no difficulty if people have classes they can go to. The difficulty arises mainly where new classes with new teachers have to be set up.
The Minister would have to make an announcement within the next few weeks.
Yes. That is right.