Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 November 2013
322. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason persons on a one parent family payment are excluded from participating in Momentum training courses administered by FÁS; and if she will alter the criteria to allow them to do so. [50441/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraMomentum will fund the provision of education and training to allow 6,500 jobseekers to gain skills and to access work opportunities in identified growing sectors. Eligible jobseekers will gain access to a range of quality education and training opportunities linked to identified job vacancies, including work placements and support from employers leading to nationally recognised awards. Momentum is funded by the Department of Education and Skills and the European Social Fund under the Labour Market Education & Training Fund which is part of the Government's Action Plan for Jobs programme and is administered by FÁS. In line with the commitments given in Pathways to Work, eligibility for the Momentum initiative is targeted at the long term unemployed and eligibility does not extend to persons in receipt of a One Parent Family payment from this Department. There are no plans to extend the eligibility criteria to include persons in receipt of other forms of income support.
