Vol. 436 No. 2
8 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will reduce the age limit of 23 imposed on a scheme in operation by his Department whereby long term unemployed persons can return to full time third level education and continue to draw unemployment assistance; and if he will reduce the age limit on this scheme to 21.
12 Mr. Nealon asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will reduce the age limit of 23 imposed on a scheme in operation by his Department whereby long term unemployed persons can return to full time third level education and continue to draw unemployment assistance; and if he will reduce the age limit on this scheme to 21.
14 Mr. E. Kenny asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will reduce the age limit of 23 imposed on a scheme in operation by his Department whereby long term unemployed persons can return to full time third level education and continue to draw unemployment assistance; and if he will reduce the age limit on this scheme to 21.
18 Mr. Carey asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will reduce the age limit of 23 imposed on a scheme in operation by his Department whereby long term unemployed persons can return to full time third level education and continue to draw unemployment assistance; and if he will reduce the age limit on this scheme to 21.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 8, 12, 14 and 18 together.
I introduced the third level allowance scheme on a pilot basis in July 1990. The scheme allows older long term unemployed people, who can obtain a place at third level, the opportunity to pursue their studies while retaining entitlement to their unemployment payments. I extended the scheme to lone parents this year. At the end of the 1992-93 academic year some 350 unemployed people were participating in the scheme. This year I have approval for 500 places on the scheme and these will be fully taken up.
Participants must be aged 23 years or over, and in receipt of a payment from my Department for at least 12 months. In addition to retaining their full social welfare entitlements, participants may qualify for a grant under the higher education grants scheme administered by the Department of Education. Under the terms of this scheme, a mature candidate must be at least 23 years of age to participate.
In fixing the age limit for this scheme a balance must be struck between the need to facilitate long term unemployed people who are in a position to avail of third level education without on the other hand offering any inducement to younger people to postpone taking up an opportunity of entry to third level which they might otherwise have taken. On balance I consider that an age limit of 23 is reasonable in the circumstances of this scheme.
Will the Minister agree that a figure of 500 unemployed young people being facilitated at a time when we have 300,000 people out of work is very small and that many talented ambitious unemployed young people are prevented from participating in this scheme because of the age barrier? Having taken into consideration what the Minister says about an age balance, 21 would create a proper balance. Will the Minister give the cost of reducing the age to 21 and consider reducing it because of the demand for the scheme?
I am not the Minister for Education. As Minister for Social Welfare I introduced this scheme to help long term unemployed people to get back into education on a second chance basis. I must keep away from the first chance education because that comes under the ambit of the Minister for Education. In that context the age of 21 for second level and 23 for third level was introduced and the 23 age limit for third level coincides with the grant stage for mature students. We must keep up with the demand and the Government has increased the numbers for the VTOS each year. I am permitted to exceed the limit to some extent, if necessary. We are still able to keep up with demand for third level places and if we exceed 500 there will not be any complaints from the Government. The scheme was to be reviewed after three years, which will end this year. We will have an opportunity to review the whole scheme and its operation.
