Patrick Nulty (Dublin West, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection if entering the taxi industry qualifies for support under the back to enterprise allowance; and if so, the reason this continues to be the case. [54567/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The back to work enterprise allowance (BTWEA) was established to encourage persons who are long term unemployed and wish to develop or take up self-employment opportunities. The scheme allows a qualified person to retain a reducing proportion of their social protection payment plus secondary benefits over two years. To qualify for this scheme a person must set up a self-employment business that has been approved by the Local Development Company or one of this Department’s case officers covering the area in which they live. The business venture must be deemed to be viable and sustainable and must not involve displacement of existing business in the same industry or service sector. An eligible person wishing to commence a business as a taxi driver, as with any other business proposal, may apply for the allowance and have their application assessed as set out above. Each application for BTWEA is decided on its merits within the criteria set down for the scheme. In assessing viability, cognisance is taken of the demand for, and supply of, the particular service at local level which may vary due to a number of factors.