Ms Br?d O'Brien:

The back to work enterprise allowance used to be for four years. It went from 100%, to 75%, 50% and then 25%. In the 2008 crisis, it got cut to two years and the short-term enterprise allowance was introduced. Whether it will survive if they make the changes to the pay-related system is one of the questions that needs to be addressed. The Deputy made an interesting point that people say it takes about three years to get a business off the ground. For some people, it is the only chance they are likely to get seeking work.

When Springboard was introduced in the last crisis, it was very much related to where there was work. There was a striking figure in its first evaluation where once over the age of 45, people progressing into employment dropped like a stone. Therefore, self-employment is an important route. Offering people better and improved supports is important.

Our system is very rule-bound. You are expected to fit entirely into a box and if you do not, you can find yourself in all kinds of trouble.