Vol. 572 No. 1
187 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will be allowed back to edu cation allowance under special circumstances; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22442/03]
The back to education allowance is a second chance education opportunities scheme designed to encourage and facilitate people who have been unemployed for a certain period and others to improve their skills and qualifications and, therefore, their prospects of returning to the active workforce.
One of the conditions for receipt of the back to education allowance is that a person must be in receipt of a relevant social welfare payment for at least six months, or 156 days, prior to commencing an approved course of study.
The person concerned was initially refused participation in the back to education allowance scheme on the grounds that she did not satisfy the above condition.
However, on further examination of her record of previous unemployment, her application is now being awarded.
188 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 1373 of 30 September 2003, the date on which the board formulated this opinion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22473/03]
As advised in my previous reply, the health board decided to pay a rent supplement to the couple in question as an exceptional measure for a period of six months and advised them accordingly. The decision was taken on 25 March 2003 in respect of the period from 1 February 2003 to 31 July 2003. The board has indicated, that in its view, the assistance provided as an exceptional measure allowed adequate time for the couple to make suitable alternative arrangements regarding their accommodation requirements.
I am satisfied that the application was fully assessed and given due consideration by the board before arriving at its decision.
189 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs her plans to deal with an anomaly whereby an unmarried partner is assessed for social welfare payments on the basis of the income of their partner who in turn cannot claim tax relief for the dependant partner; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22478/03]
Married and cohabiting couples are treated uniformly under the social welfare code. Prior to 1989 cohabiting couples were treated as single people for means testing and payments purposes. Arising from a Supreme Court judgment in that year the definition of a married couple was extended to encompass cohabitation and these couples then became subject to the same means testing and payment arrangements as apply to married couples. There are currently no plans for changes to these arrangements. The question of the treatment of couples under the taxation system is a matter for consideration in the context of the taxation code generally.
