Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 317: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the help that is available from her Department for a person planning to start their own business. [45371/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Department operates two schemes to assist people on social welfare who wish to become self-employed; namely the Short Term Enterprise Allowance (STEA) and the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA). The short term enterprise allowance, introduced from 1 May 2009, provides immediate access to support where people who have lost their jobs and qualify for Jobseekers' Benefit wish to set up a business. Payment under the scheme is at the same rate and for the same duration as their entitlement to Jobseeker's Benefit.

The Back to Work Enterprise Allowance is designed to provide a monetary incentive for people who are dependant on social welfare payments to develop a business while allowing them to retain a reducing proportion of their qualifying social welfare payment, plus secondary benefits, over two years; 100% in year 1 and 75% in year 2. In the case of jobseekers, the qualifying period required for access to the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance is 12 months, provided a person has an underlying entitlement to Jobseeker's Allowance. Under both schemes, 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 it 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, to provide advice on funding or on "Start Your Own Business" courses and other relevant aspects.

The Department provides further support to people who qualify for the short-term enterprise allowance (STEA) or the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance through the technical assistance and training scheme (TATS) under which a participant may qualify for a grant up to a maximum of €1,000 towards certain business start-up expenses. These include training (in areas such as book-keeping/accounts, preparation of business plans, marketing, literacy and computer training) and the purchase of small items of equipment. It is administered through the Department's facilitator network based in social welfare local offices. Part of the facilitator service is the provision of detailed information on the supports available from the Department to people who are planning to start their own business.