It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 697 and 720 together.
The underlying purpose of the scheme is to provide income support for less well off third level students who are disqualified from receiving unemployment assistance and are unable to obtain summer work. Priority, therefore, is being given to enable the maximum number of eligible low income students to participate within the overall financial allocation of £10.2 million for the 1996 scheme.
The persons concerned are not affected by the 1993 disqualification of students claiming unemployment assistance and consequently are not eligible for participation in the student summer jobs scheme. If they are unable to find alternative work they may, subject to a means test, qualify for unemployment assistance.