Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 September 2004
1335 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will minimise the length of time a person must be on unemployment assistance in order to qualify for back to education allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22229/04]
View answerThe back to education allowance is a second chance education opportunities programme designed to encourage and facilitate people on certain social welfare payments to improve their skills and qualifications and, therefore, their prospects of returning to the active work force. The programme is for the long-term unemployed and certain others such as lone-parents and people receiving disability payments.
The conditions for entitlement to the third level option of the back to education allowance were revised with effect from 1 September 2004. From that date, the qualifying period was increased from six months to 15 months for new applicants intending to commence third level courses of study.
The scheme was always intended for the benefit of people who had difficulty finding employment as the scheme provided an opportunity which might enable them to improve their qualifications and thus their prospects of obtaining work. It was never intended to be an alternative form of support for people entering the third level education system.
One of the factors that influenced me in changing the qualification conditions is the concern that some people go on the live register for short periods specifically to qualify for the back to education allowance. In the 2003-04 academic year, the majority of participants in the third level option of the scheme were in receipt of an unemployment payment for 12 months or less when they accessed the scheme.
The scheme is intended to assist people with a history of long-term dependence on social welfare and in many circumstances situations where persons who have not completed second level education are held back in their efforts to obtain employment. Therefore, I decided that the qualifying condition should remain at six months for people who wish to pursue a second level qualification.
In deciding to restructure the back to education allowance, I am ensuring that this support retains its focus on the more vulnerable groups in our community, particularly people who do not have a second level education qualification and who are at risk of becoming dependent on social welfare payments on a long-term basis.
I want to ensure that available resources are aimed at those in greatest need of an intervention to prevent them from drifting into long-term unemployment. This change recognises the more urgent need for intervention in the case of people who have not completed formal second level education. Time spent pursuing a second level course with the assistance of the back to education scheme will count towards meeting the 15 month qualification condition for the third level option.
I have ensured, in a situation where priorities had to be set and choices made, that those in the greatest need of assistance under the BTEA scheme have been protected.
