Jobless can’t afford to play by allowance rules

MORE than anything, there is a need to overhaul the rules on the back to education allowance and the back to work enterprise allowance. In the current climate it does not make sense for someone who has lost his or her job to have to wait 12 months in order to become eligible for back to education allowance or up to two years for the back to work enterprise allowance.

There are thousands who, if given the opportunity, would return to education and avail of these schemes if they were unable to find alternative employment within three or four months.

It serves no one’s interest to wait until we have a serious long-term unemployment problem before these supports become available.

Those who have lost their jobs will be receiving a social welfare payment in any case.

Why not allow them benefit from these allowances while also retraining and upskilling?

Seán Sherlock TD

Flemings (Davis) Lane

Mallow

Co Cork.