Vol. 525 No. 5
314 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo has been refused the back-to-education allowance in view of the fact that she has two children and she is anxious to complete the six hour per week study course. [25425/00]
The back-to-education allowance is a second chance educational opportunities programme designed to encourage and facilitate certain groups, including people who have been unemployed for a certain minimum period, with a view to improving their skills and qualifications and, therefore, their prospects of returning to the active workforce.
To qualify for participation an unemployed person must, inter alia, be pursuing a full-time day course of study at a recognised second or third level institution. In this case, the person concerned is pursuing a part-time course of study and is not eligible for the allowance. Unemployed people who wish to pursue part-time education courses may continue to receive their unemployment payment for the duration of the course. The person concerned is eligible to do this and my Department will be in contact with her shortly regarding the matter.
