Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection the assistance available to a person on one parent family payment who is anxious to start their own business and work approximately two days a week; if they can still receive the payment; the assistance available to assist them to move into running a business and still retain all or part of their payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39943/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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An individual who has been in receipt of the one-parent family payment for at least 12 months and who wishes to become self-employed may qualify for the back-to-work enterprise allowance (BTWEA). The BTWEA scheme encourages people getting certain social welfare payments to become self-employed and it enables people to keep a percentage of their social welfare payment for up to 2 years, while they establish their business.

In addition, a former recipient of the one-parent family payment who is in receipt of BTWEA may also keep several of the secondary benefits they have, including Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance or Fuel Allowance, provided their household income is less than €317.43 gross per week. Income from the BTWEA is not taken into account for the purpose of the €317.43 weekly income limit but any income from work is taken into account. Former OFP recipients who transfer to the BTWEA will also retain their medical card for the duration of the scheme.

The Technical Assistance and Training (TAT) fund is designed to help people getting the BTWEA with certain costs involved in starting a business. Assistance from this fund must be approved by the Facilitator in the client’s Social Welfare Local Office. Individuals who are in receipt of the BTWEA may also qualify for a range of supports and services from their respective County Enterprise Board, which are under the remit of my colleague the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.