Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 December 2009
432 Deputy Olwyn Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science if a person (details supplied) in County Galway received written notification of the criteria involved when accepting a place under the labour market activation initiative, 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45698/09]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the labour market activation (LMA) initiative 2,500 places were made available to enable unemployed people pursue undergraduate and postgraduate courses on a part-time basis. The application and acceptance process for a particular course is a matter for the higher education institution concerned. In the case of the LMA programmes information would also have been publicly available through the HEA website and through Department of Social and Family Affairs offices.
Applicants for places on the LMA programme were required to meet the eligibility criteria established for the initiative. As part of the application process, institutions were required to receive from applicants one of the following pieces of documentation: — Confirmation from the local social welfare office of the duration of the applicant's claim to a jobseekers payment — A copy of form RP50 confirming the applicant is entitled to statutory redundancy from their most recent employment.
Participants on the scheme are not required to pay the €1,500 registration fee and, while postgraduate students may be required to pay a nominal charge, students are not charged tuition fees. Participants who continue to meet all Department of Social and Family Affairs criteria on eligibility for Job Seekers Benefit and Job Seekers Allowance are entitled to retain their payments while studying on these programmes.
