Noel Ahern
Ceist:90 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Social Welfare the total figure paid out in each of the last three years towards assisting people with rent allowances.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefit.
It is estimated that total expenditure on rent supplements under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme was in the region of £9 million in 1990, £14 million in 1991 and £23 million in 1992.
Noel Ahern
Ceist:91 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Social Welfare if part-time third level students doing courses two days a week and not qualifying for education grants due to the part-time nature of their course are eligible for unemployment assistance on the days when they are free of study and available for and seeking work.
People claiming unemployment payments may participate in part-time educational courses where it can be shown clearly that the course will not interfere with their availability to accept full time employment. Factors which deciding officers take into account in determining such courses include, the type of course involved, its duration and the hours of attendance and study.
It is understood that the Deputy has in mind the case of a particular person who claimed unemployment assistance on 13 October 1993.
Her claim was disallowed on the basis that she did not satisfy the statutory condition of being available for employment due to her participation in a postgraduate degree course at Dublin City University. The deciding officer while recognising that the course was part-time took the view that the duration of the course, over two years, and the requirement as part of the course to participate in work experience, precluded the person concerned from being freely available to accept employment during this period.
She appealed the disallowance and an independent appeals officer also disallowed her claim.