Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 24 Jan 1995

Vol. 447 No. 11

Written Answers. - Third Level Allowance Scheme.

Paul McGrath

Question:

231 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of approvals by his Department for the third level allowance scheme that failed to meet all the criteria laid down by his Department for this scheme in each of the last three years; the criteria by which these approvals were decided; the name of the person who made these decisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1557/95]

Paul McGrath

Question:

232 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of students who applied to his Department for the third level allowance in each of the last three years; and the number who were successful in each year. [1558/95]

Minister for Social Welfare (Proinsias De Rossa)

It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 231 and 232 together.

The Third Level Allowance Scheme was set up on a non-statutory basis in 1990. Participants under the scheme receive an amount equivalent to their appropriate rate of Unemployment Benefit/Assistance while pursuing undergraduate studies at a third level institution in Ireland. The conditions for participation are that a person must be aged 23 years or over and be unemployed and in receipt of an unemployment payment for at least 12 months. In practice, however, persons who fulfil these criteria within a short time of commencing their studies are allowed to participate in the scheme. Some 54 persons qualified on this basis in the 1994/95 academic year. Corresponding figures for 1992/93 and 1993/94 are not available.

Applications for the allowance are determined by a central section in my Department. The number of applications approved and disallowed for each of the last three years are as follows:

	Numbers Approved	Numbers Disallowed
1992/93	298	not available
1993/94	914	104
1994/95	1,228	198

I understand that the Deputy has a particular case in mind. The person concerned applied for participation in the Third Level Allowance Schemes for the academic year 1994-95 but although she had been unemployed for a lengthy period, she failed to qualify on age grounds. I am having this case examined to see on what basis she could be allowed to participate in the scheme and I will be in touch with the Deputy on this matter.

It is my intention, as part of the commitment in the Programme for Renewal, to review the operation of the scheme generally, including the qualifying criteria, before the start of the next academic year with a view to ensuring that more opportunities are made available for unemployed persons and lone parents in both second and third level education.