Vol. 567 No. 1
444 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the schemes in place to assist third level students; if those schemes can be utilised by an Irish national with an undergraduate degree and who now wishes to study for a two year MPhil in King's College London; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13805/03]
My Department administers a range of second chance education programmes under the umbrella of its employment support services. These programmes are designed to encourage unemployed people, lone parents and people with disabilities to build up skills and qualifications which will help them to compete successfully in the modern labour market.
To qualify for participation in the back to education allowance scheme an applicant must, inter alia, attend a full-time third level course of study that is recognised by the Department of Education and Science for the higher education grant scheme or recognised by the Higher Education Training and Awards Council, HETAC.
The Department of Education and Science does not recognise postgraduate courses of study in England for the higher education grant scheme and consequently, such courses are not recognised for back to education allowance purposes.
