Vol. 482 No. 4
98 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will have arrangements made for a grant towards the cost of books and so on, similar to the grant paid to persons in receipt of unemployment assistance, to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 1 who is in receipt of disabled person's maintenance allowance and attending a post leaving certificate college course. [18288/97]
There is no provision at present for the payment of a grant in the circumstances referred to.
There is a provision for payment of an allowance towards the cost of books to people in receipt of allowances under the back-to-education programmes administered by my Department, namely the second level allowance and third level allowance schemes. These allowances are available to people over 21 in receipt of an unemployment payment or one parent family payment for at least six months.
People in receipt of allowances under the vocational training opportunities scheme (VTOS) administered by the Department of Education and Science, also receive a book allowance. A limited number of places on the VTOS are available to people in receipt of disability allowance, formerly disabled person's maintenance allowance.
The policy of my Department is to encourage and facilitate recipients of social welfare payments, including people with disabilities, to avail of opportunities which would facilitate them taking up or resuming employment. I will be examining ways in which further assistance can be given in this regard.
