Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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525. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if it will be ensured that means testing for the back to education allowance includes childcare costs. [24178/20]

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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526. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if it will be ensured that means testing for back to education allowance includes mortgage payment costs. [24179/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 525 and 526 together.

The back to education allowance (BTEA) provides income support for jobseekers and others in receipt of certain social welfare payments that pursue courses of education at second or third level. The main focus of the BTEA is to assist qualifying applicants to improve their educational qualifications and improve their prospects of gaining employment.

BTEA participants with eligibility based on a qualifying payment must re-establish their entitlement to the qualifying payment at the beginning of each relevant academic year. This includes passing a means test to assess household income. This measure ensures that only participants who continue to satisfy the conditions of their primary payment, including those relating to the means test, will continue to receive income support under BTEA and that resources are directed at those most in need of assistance.

The BTEA was never intended to be an alternative form of funding for people entering or re-entering the third level education system. The student universal support Ireland (SUSI) grant payable by the Department of Education and Skills represents the primary support for persons pursuing education.

The cost of education allowance of €500 per academic year is payable to all BTEA customers who are in a full-time day course with a qualified child payment on their claim subject to fulfilling all conditions on the primary scheme.

As part of the July stimulus package, the Government announced an extension of BTEA supports to recipients of the pandemic unemployment payment to take up education.

I trust this clarifies the matter at this time.