Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 April 2013
577. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason certain educational courses supported under the momentum initiative will not entertain applications from citizens currently in receipt of lone parents allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16099/13]
View answerThe Momentum initiative provides free education and training opportunities for up to 6,500 long-term unemployed jobseekers. The initiative is administered by FÁS and funded by the Department of Education & Skills through the National Training Fund (NTF) and co-financed by the European Social Fund (ESF). Eligibility for the Momentum initiative is determined by this Department, in line with the commitments given in Pathways to Work. The key target is those who are long-term unemployed. To be eligible for Momentum, a participant must: Be unemployed and on the Live Register for 12 months (312days) or longer; Be in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance/Benefit payment from this Department or have credited contributions for 12 months or longer; and Be actively seeking work.
A person in receipt of one parent family payment does not satisfy the criteria for Momentum as the focus is on those on the Live Register. Extension of the eligibility for Momentum is not being considered given the current size and construct of the Live Register, in particular the numbers of people who are now unemployed in excess of one year. The Deputy should note that a person not on the Live Register has access to other education and training opportunities supported by the State. The Momentum initiative represents a small percentage of the over 450,000 State-funded opportunities provided in 2012 in further education, higher education and training, namely: 75,000 FÁS training places in 2012; 180,000 Further Education places; 162,000 full-time Higher Education places, through Universities and Institutes of Technology across the country; Over 40,000 training places through Skillnets, including 8,000 for the unemployed, in partnership with private employers; and Over 6,000 Springboard free part-time higher education places in 2012, with additional places to be announced for this year.
Eligibility for accessing many of these interventions is not contingent on receipt of a social welfare payment or signing for credited contributions.
