A study of the back-to-education scheme for the unemployed has found it did nothing to improve the job prospects of those taking part.
The report - commissioned by the Department of Social Protection - found those who joined the scheme were up to 38 per cent LESS likely to find jobs than other unemployed people.
The study was carried out by the ESRI and looked at the status of people on the allowance between 2008 and 2014.
At its peak in 2012, nearly 25 thousand people were on the Back to Education Allowance - at a cost of about 200 million euro per year.
Commenting on the report, the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton said six elements of the scheme are being changed to take into account the study's findings.
Report co-author Dr Eilish Kelly of the ESRI says the outcomes did improve over time, but as recently as last year those on the allowance performed worse than other jobseekers.
