Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 117: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding rent allowance and other supports in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9. [18010/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Health Service Executive (HSE) has advised that there is no record of an application for rent supplement from the person concerned. If the person concerned wishes to make an application for rent supplement she should contact the community welfare officer at her local health centre.

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 118: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a person (details supplied) who ceased claiming social welfare after having qualified for the enterprise allowance scheme, who is now not eligible for a paid position on a FÁS scheme as they have not been receiving social welfare payments. [18036/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Any unemployed individual may participate in the FAS Work Placement Programme. However, should an unemployed individual wish to be in receipt of a social welfare payment during their participation on the FÁS Work Placement Programme they must receive one of the following payments for at least 3 months prior to commencing the programme:

· Jobseekers Allowance

· Jobseekers Benefit

· Disability Allowance,

· Blind Pension,

· Invalidity Pension,

· Illness Benefit or

· Lone parents allowance

Individuals who have been in receipt of the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance have been self-employed for two years. Jobseekers allowance is, in general, the most relevant scheme in these circumstances. When their entitlement to the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance expires they must, if they wish to claim jobseekers allowance, satisfy the conditions for that scheme which include a means test. If they are still self-employed the means test will take into account, inter alia, prospective income from self employment for the next 12 months.

For the purposes of receiving a social welfare payment while participating on the FÁS Work Placement Programme, time spent in receipt of the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance is ineligible as individuals in receipt of this allowance were self-employed.