A chara, - The Tanaiste's proposals on social welfare revealed to the Small Firms' Association conference (June 17th) suggest, inter alia, that if there is a refusal to enter education by anyone under 25 years old who is more than six months unemployed (and more than twelve months in the case of those 25 and over), that person will lose their social welfare payments.
Let us consider the incentive for someone who is long term unemployed to enter higher education. For a limited number over the age of 21, they may qualify for a third level allowance (TLA) which would allow them to enter college on a full-time basis without losing existing entitlements.
For those between 18 and 21, there is no such provision. Those in this age category, and those who do not gain a TLA place and choose to enter a full-time third level course, are barred from claiming unemployment assistance or benefit because, if they are in full-time education, they are not available for work and so do not fulfil a key requirement to obtaining unemployment benefit or assistance.
From this autumn, those who qualify for a maintenance grant will receive a maximum of about £46 per week of the academic year (based on a 36-week academic year) if they ordinarily reside more than 15 miles from their college, and a maximum of just over £18 if they live within the 15 mile limit. They are also prohibited from claiming social welfare for the summer months of their period in third level education.
If such an individual were in receipt of long term unemployment assistance or unemployment benefit, he or she would receive £70.50 as a personal allowance (no additional amounts are payable to grant-holders for dependants). They would also be entitled to seek a rent allowance and fuel allowance. Students are not entitled to such allowances and the right of entitlement to a medical card was removed from students in 1983.
Unemployed people who decide to do part-time courses will not lose out on their entitlements but will be obliged to pay fees, the only relief available from which is tax relief on income.
I do not argue that social welfare rates are adequate (some of the rates, particularly the rates for dependants, fall short of Commission on Social Welfare recommendations) but clearly, there is no financial incentive for a long term unemployed person to go to college. - Le meas, Malcolm Byrne,
Education Officer, Union of Students in Ireland,
Temple Bar,
Dublin 2.