asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will extend the part time job incentive scheme, recently announced by his Department, to persons who return to full time education or who are at present in full time education who would otherwise qualify for assistance.
Written Answers. - Part Time Job Incentive Scheme.
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The purpose of the part time job incentive scheme is to provide long term unemployed persons with the opportunity to take up a part time job and thereby get a foothold in the labour market again. While participating in the scheme, participants receive a flat-rate allowance of £27 for a single person or £45 for a married person with a dependent spouse instead of their usual unemployment payments.
The part time job incentive scheme applies only to persons working part-time, providing as it does a supplement to their part time earnings. It is not considered a suitable mechanism for assisting unemployed persons who wish to return to full time education. The educational opportunities scheme, which gives unemployed persons, over 25 years of age, the opportunity to attend a leaving certificate course run by their local VEC while at the same time being paid a weekly allowance equivalent to their unemployment payments is designed to do this. The scheme is operating in the pilot locations of Limerick city and Tallaght, County Dublin, at present and it is my intention to extend it to other locations to cover different types of courses, and perhaps languages, in consultation with the Minister for Education, as resources permit.