173 mature students fight allowance cut

A CHALLENGE by 173 mature students to the axing, during the summer holidays, of a social welfare payment aimed at helping them pursue third-level education yesterday came before the High Court.

The students claim the Department of Social and Family Affairs, in an information booklet, from June 2002, on the Back to Education Allowance (BEA) scheme, offered them a BEA payable for the duration of degree and other courses, “including all holiday periods”.

The booklet featured the headline: “Helping You Return to Education” and outlined a scheme aimed at helping unemployed people, lone parents, disabled persons and others return to education.