Michael McGrath
Question:47. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding a training allowance. [18134/14]
View answerWednesday, 16 April 2014
Questions (47)
Written answers
The payment of an additional training allowance of €31.80 per week for the long term unemployed was introduced during a period of high employment levels as an incentive for the long term unemployed to participate in FÁS (now SOLAS) training courses. The payment of this allowance was later extended to those persons in receipt of social welfare disability payments to introduce equality of treatment for all people in training. The payment was reduced from €31.80 per week to €20 per week as part of Budget 2011. In the present economic and employment situation this incentive is no longer considered appropriate and as part of Budget 2014 it was decided to cease this payment for all SOLAS participants commencing courses after 1 January 2014. This change does not apply to persons who commenced a course prior to January 2014 who will continue to receive the long term unemployed bonus payment for the duration of their course. Travel supports continue to be available to participants on SOLAS training courses. This is a decision taken in the context of the overall savings this Department had to find for 2014 and future years. It was taken against a difficult budgetary background and there is no scope to re-visit it.