Departmental Schemes

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 March 2022

Tuesday, 29 March 2022

Questions (517)

Bríd Smith

Question:

517. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the position of trainees on further education and training courses provided in Education and Training Boards that have come off social welfare payments to attend such courses; if her attention has been drawn of trainees attending these courses having their payments reduced for various reasons to do with course attendance; the details of any deductions made to the core payments of such trainees while on ETB courses; the numbers of trainees affected in recent years and the amounts deducted; the role of her Department in implementing or confirming such deductions; the rights of trainees to appeal such deductions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16492/22]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science

The payment of learner allowances to participants on further education and training (FET) courses across the 16 ETBs is transferring from the individual ETBs to the Education Shared Business Services under the Department of Education. The first phase of this transfer occurred in August 2020 and the second phase, involving Youthreach and VTOS learners, went live in February 2022.

I am aware that deductions are made to learner allowances paid to FET learners which are related to course attendance and that the practices in relation to these deductions can vary across programmes and locations. While the details sought regarding the extent of these deductions are not readily available, I can advise the Deputy that the practices regarding these deductions are currently being reviewed in the context of the transfer to the ESBS. I will advise the Deputy of the outcome of this review which I expect in the coming weeks.