Joe Walsh
Question:139 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Social Welfare the schemes, if any, available to those in receipt of unemployment assistance who wish to avail of further education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3281/97]
Written Answers. - VTO Schemes.
At present there are a number of schemes available to unemployed people who wish to participate in full-time or part-time educational courses while continuing to retain their social welfare payments.
The Department of Education operates the vocational training opportunities scheme (VTOS) through the network of Vocational Education Committees (VECs). This scheme involves a specially designed second level education course which can lead to qualifications such as junior certificate, leaving certificate and certain city and guild certificates. To qualify under the scheme an unemployed person must be at least 21 years of age and have been unemployed for at least six months. Participants are paid the equivalent of their unemployment payment directly by the Vocational Education Committee and there is provision also for the payment of certain meal, travel and book allowances.
Provision has been made for some 5,000 VTOS places in the 1996-97 academic year.
The second level certificate scheme is available to unemployed persons who do not obtain a place on a VTOS course. Participants may attend full-time second level courses at any community, comprehensive or vocational college provided they satisfy the qualifying conditions for the VTOS scheme. Up to now participants were entitled to receive a payment equivalent to their appropriate weekly unemployment payment. However, I was pleased to announce, as part of the budget package, that, in future, participants under this scheme will receive a standard weekly personal rate of payment equivalent to the full unemployment benefit rate, for the duration of their course. They will also receive a £100 book allowance and will not be required to sign the live register.
There are 400 people participating in this scheme for the 1996-97 academic year.
Unemployed people wishing to pursue a third level education course may participate in the third level allowance (TLA) scheme operated by my Department. To qualify under the scheme a person must be aged 21 years or over and be unemployed for at least six months. Since October 1996 participants receive a standard weekly personal payment equivalent to the full unemployment benefit rate while attending an approved full-time third level course at any university, third level college or institution. In addition, they receive a £100 book allowance and are not required to sign the live register.
To date, some 3,000 people have been approved under this scheme in respect of the 1996-97 academic year.
An unemployed person who so wishes may attend a part-time education course and retain their entitlement to unemployment payments. People availing of this option must, however, satisfy my Department that they continue to be actively seeking and available for full-time work. There are no statistics available on the numbers availing of this option.