Eoghan Murphy (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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7. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will consider amending social welfare rules so that if someone who is receiving unemployment benefits starts a company and draws a salary from it, that person's State support will continue for a period. [35933/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Department of Social Protection operates two schemes to assist people on certain social protection payments who wish to become self-employed; namely the Short Term Enterprise Allowance and the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance.

The Short Term Enterprise Allowance provides immediate access to a monetary incentive to support jobseekers who qualify for jobseekers’ benefit to set up a business. Payment under the scheme is at the same rate and for the same duration as the entitlement to jobseeker’s benefit exists.

The Back to Work Enterprise Allowance is designed to provide a monetary incentive for people who are on social welfare payments to develop a business while allowing them to retain a reducing proportion of their qualifying social welfare payment over two years; 100% in year 1 and 75% in year 2.

Information on accessing the scheme and supports for people considering starting their own business is available from DSP Intreo centres, local enterprise offices and local development companies. Further information is available on the Department’s website .