Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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396. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if it is an anomaly that the back to work enterprise allowance is not included in the qualifying schemes for the back to work family dividend as of October 2017; her plans to amend this in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44873/17]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Back to Work Family Dividend (BTWFD) scheme is specifically targeted at long-term unemployed persons with qualifying children, and those parenting alone, to assist them in the transition from welfare to work. Claimants (and if applicable, their adult dependant) must sign off their primary social welfare payment and will then receive a weekly payment for up to 2 years. They are paid the equivalent of any Increases for Qualified Children that were being paid on their jobseeker or one-parent family payment (up to a maximum of 4 children) for the first year in employment. Half that amount will be paid weekly for the second year.

The Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA) scheme is aimed at persons in receipt of qualifying social welfare payments wishing to set up as self-employed in a business that has been approved in advance by a Case Officer of the Department, and recommended by a Local Development Company. This scheme provides a percentage of the person’s original social welfare payment for up to 2 years, inclusive of any adult/child dependant increases (100% for the 1st year, 75% for the 2nd year).

Both BTWFD and BTWEA provide targeted support for people to re-enter the workforce, either through employment or self-employment. Consequently, there is no anomaly with regard to the qualifying schemes for BTWFD. There are no plans to revise the eligibility criteria for the BTWFD scheme to include BTWEA recipients. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.