Paul Connaughton
Question:178. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the rationale behind the requirement for participants in vocational training opportunities schemes to be on a payment from the Department of Social Protection for six months before taking up a course; her views on whether this effectively incentivises persons to stay on social protection for some months longer than they would otherwise do in order to access the course; her views on whether persons who require re-skilling after becoming unemployed would benefit from starting retraining as soon as possible in order that they could re-enter the workforce; her plans to remove the requirement that participants be on social protection for six months or more; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39865/15]
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