Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

203. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her Department's guidelines in respect of entitlement to the back to work allowance (details supplied). [26317/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA) is designed to provide a monetary incentive for people who are dependent on certain social welfare payments to develop a business. During the first two years of self-employment, the allowance is paid at 100% for the first year of operating and at 75% for the second year. The Short Term Enterprise Allowance (STEA) provides immediate access to those who have lost their jobs and qualify for jobseeker’s benefit and 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. At the end of May, 2015 there were 11,523 people availing of the BTWEA and 486 on STEA.

In the event that a business venture is unsuccessful, the customer may have an entitlement to a jobseeker’s payment in the same way as any other jobseeker. Given the range of individual circumstances that exist, entitlements can only be established by the customer engaging with one of the Department’s Intreo Centres.

Further information is available from DSP Intreo centres and also on the Department’s website .