Tony Gregory
Ceist:80 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of participants currently in the third level allowance scheme, the part-time education initiative and the back to work allowance scheme. [5700/95]
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
The information requested by the Deputy is as follows:—
Back to Work Allowance
The back to work allowance was introduced in October 1993 to encourage the long term unemployed and lone parents to return to the active labour force while retaining a percentage of their social welfare entitlements and secondary benefits. At present there are 5,625 participants of whom 3,686 are involved in self employment projects.
Third Level Allowance
This scheme is for unemployed people and lone parents who have obtained a place at third level education. They can attend a full time undergraduate third level course at any third level institution, university, regional technical college or a technical college of the Dublin Institute of Technology. The number of persons participating in this scheme in the current academic year is 1,228.
Part Time Education
Under this scheme, people on unemployment benefit or assistance may attend certain part time education courses without affecting their ongoing weekly unemployment payments. They simply have to demonstrate to their local Social Welfare office that they are still actively looking for work and that the part time course is likely to improve their chances of getting a job. As the unemployment payments are ongoing, statistics are not kept of the numbers availing of this facility.
Jim Mitchell
Ceist:81 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) in Dublin 8 is entitled to a free colour television licence. [5719/95]
Under the current conditions to qualify for receipt of a free colour television licence, a person receiving a qualifying payment must be in receipt of free electricity allowance and free fuel allowance.
The household does not at present qualify for a free colour television licence as they are not entitled to free fuel allowance.
However, the household will qualify for a free colour television licence from the licence renewal date after 1 October 1995, following the improvements in the scheme announced in this year's budget.