Vol. 554 No. 5
637 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Science the financial support available for retired people to go back to education; if there are courses sponsored by any Government agency which interested people can avail of; and if the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny can be examined relative to their request for further education. [16483/02]
In general retired people may return to participate free in full-time education at further education level, but will not receive a financial payment. The only instances where payments are made are: means tested maintenance grants for higher education and PLC students, for which there is no upper age limit; training allowances paid to unemployed adults over 21 and at least six months unemployed under the vocational training opportunity scheme – retired people are not eligible for this as it is a specific programme geared towards addressing unemployment; training allowances paid to early school leavers in Youthreach and Traveller programmes, to people who left school with either minimal or no qualifications, generally less than five Ds at junior cycle level of equivalent.
Approximately 6000 part-time places have been provided in the further education sector this year under a new Back to Education initiative which is aimed at providing flexible learning opportunities for those in employment, unemployed or not in the labour market. Provision is free for medical card holders, the unemployed and those in receipt of means-tested welfare payments, and their dependants; there is a reduced charge for other unwaged people with less than upper secondary education, including contributory pensioners, and the remainder pay fees. Information on Back to Education opportunities is available from the local vocational education committees.
