Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 29 May 1996

Vol. 466 No. 2

Written Answers. - Student's Summer Jobs Scheme.

John Ellis

Ceist:

123 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for Social Welfare the students who are debarred from participating in the students' summer jobs scheme; whether pupils who have completed their degree courses but who are proceeding to a master's degree course are debarred. [11221/96]

Minister for Social Welfare (Proinsias De Rossa)

The underlying purpose of the scheme is to provide income support for the less well-off third level students who are disqualified from receiving unemployment assistance and unable to obtain summer work.

Taking account of the upward trend in the number of students participating in the scheme since its inception priority this year is being given to enabling the maximum number of eligible students who have no other means of support to participate. The main focus of the scheme, therefore, is to provide places for students who are disqualified from claiming unemployment assistance.

The following students are not entitled to take part in this year's scheme: students who are in second level education or have just completed second level education; students who will be completing a course of study at the end of the current academic year; students who are receiving a third level allowance from my Department; mature students; post leaving certificate students, except those who are engaged in multi-annual PLC courses; and students who do not satisfy the means requirements of the scheme. As students who have completed their primary degree course have a legal right to claim unemployment assistance during the summer period they are not eligible for the scheme.