Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

221. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated annual cost to the Exchequer of extending the back-to-education allowance to those who are in employment. [37187/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Back to Education Allowance provides income support for jobseekers and others in receipt of certain social welfare payments who pursue full-time courses of education at further or higher level. The focus of the scheme is to assist people improve their qualifications and as a result improve their access to sustainable employment. The Government has provided €35.7 million for the scheme in 2024.

A person wishing to pursue a course of study under the Back to Education Allowance scheme must satisfy certain conditions including being in receipt of a qualifying payment for a specified time. This may include people who are in part-time employment. The Back to Education Allowance provides that claimants receive a payment at the same rate as their underlying qualifying payment when they attend full time study. It is therefore not possible to provide an estimated cost of extending the scheme to persons in full time employment as they are not in receipt of an underlying social welfare payment.

The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science has policy responsibility for the further and higher education sectors. It provides a range of education and training options, including upskilling and reskilling options for people in employment. It also has responsibility for the Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) grant which is the primary support for people pursuing further and higher education. This grant offers funding to eligible students, from school leavers to mature students returning to education who are taking approved courses.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.