Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 183: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she is aware of complaints that her Department is promoting excessive entry into the taxi trade through the back to work scheme; the extent to which people have availed of the scheme in this way; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13852/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The enterprise stream of the back to work allowance (BTWA) scheme is designed to assist people, who are long term dependant on social welfare payments, to take up self-employment. Participants receive a tapered percentage of their social welfare payment over a four year period for those who become self employed and they may also retain entitlement to certain other secondary benefits.

A person in receipt of a social welfare payment who decides to set up as a self employed taxi operator may be eligible to apply for the back to work enterprise allowance. In order to qualify, a person must be in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment for a certain duration, which is two years in the case of a person on a jobseeker's payment. Those taking up self-employment must first have their self-employment project approved as viable and sustainable.

In partnership areas, this will be done by the partnership company. In non-partnership areas, this will be done by the Department's local facilitator. Approval normally involves an interview with the applicant to assess the viability of the proposed project and to provide advice on funding or on "Start Your Own Business" courses and other relevant aspects. Each application for the back to work enterprise allowance is decided within the criteria set down for the scheme. A breakdown by occupation or the nature of the self-employment of recipients of the back to work enterprise allowance scheme is not available from records held by the Department.