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, which was commissioned by the Department of Social Protection, found those who joined the scheme were actually up to 38% 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 25,000 people were on the Back to Education Allowance - at a cost of about €200 million per year.

Commenting on the report, the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton said six elements of the scheme are being changed in reaction to the study's findings.

Report co-author Dr Eilish Kelly of the ESRI says the findings were unexpected, but adds that outcomes did improve over time:

The findings come as new statistics from the CSO show the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell last month to 9.3%.

That's a significant drop of over 1% since last October, when the figures sat at 10.6%.