Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 674: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of people in receipt of the back to education allowance for each of the past five years and to date 2009; the cost for each of these years and to date 2009; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29928/09]

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 675: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of people who have applied for the back to education allowance for each of the past five years; the number of people who have been denied the allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29929/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 674 and 675 together.

Participants on the back to education allowance (BTEA) scheme transfer from another social welfare payment. Annual statistics are collated by the department for the number of participants on the basis of the relevant academic year. Statistics are not collated centrally on the number of applications received or the number who are refused entry to the scheme and, consequently, remain on their existing payment.

Details of the number of participants on the scheme (BTEA) for the academic years 2003/2004 to the 2008/ 2009 are presented in Table 1 below. Table 2 shows the annual expenditure on the scheme for full years from 2004 to 2008 and provisional figure for first six months of 2009. The tables show a significant increase in the number of participants and the level of expenditure on the scheme in recent years.

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 676: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of people in receipt of the back to work enterprise allowance for each of the past five years and to date 2009; the cost for each of these years and to date 2009; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29930/09]

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 677: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of people who applied for the back to work enterprise allowance for each of the past five years; the number of people who have been denied the allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29931/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 676 and 677 together.

The back to work enterprise scheme is designed to assist people on a social welfare payment return to work by setting up a self employment business. Participants on the back to work enterprise allowance (BTWEA) scheme transfer from another social welfare payment and retain a tapered percentage of their payment over a two year period.

Annual statistics are collated by the department for the number of participants on the scheme. Records are not collated as to the number of applications received annually or the number who are refused entry to the scheme and consequently remain on their existing payment.

Details of the number of participants in receipt of the back to work enterprise allowance since 2004 are presented in table 1 below. Table 2 shows the total expenditure on the back to work programme, which includes both the back to work enterprise allowance and the back to work employee allowance, for the full years 2004 to 2008 and provisional figures for the first 6 months of 2009. The back to work employee allowance has been closed to new applications since 1st May 2009 but existing participants continue to receive payment. Table 1 - Back to Work Enterprise Allowance Participation levels 2004-2009

Table 2 - Expenditure on Back to Work Allowance 2004 - 2009

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 678: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of people who have applied for the short-term enterprise allowance; the number of people participating in this scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29932/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The short term enterprise allowance (STEA) was introduced by the Government to respond to the demand to provide support to someone who becomes unemployed and who wants to start their own business.

The short term enterprise allowance (STEA) is payable at the same rate and for the same duration as jobseeker's benefit. It has been available since 1st May 2009 to claimants who qualify for jobseeker's benefit, provided they have 104 contributions paid or have established entitlement to statutory redundancy from their latest period of employment. Anyone in this category with a viable business idea can avail of the scheme. Data is collated centrally in respect of awards only. At week ending 3rd July 2009 there were 148 people in receipt of the short term enterprise allowance.