John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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251. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of the back to work enterprise allowance and the short-term enterprise allowance as of the end of 2018. [2003/19]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The back to work enterprise allowance (BTWEA) is designed to provide a monetary incentive for people who are in receipt of social welfare payments to enter self-employment and 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. The BTWEA is generally available to persons who are on a qualifying social welfare payment, such as jobseekers allowance/benefit, for 9 months or longer.

The short term enterprise allowance (STEA) provides immediate support to those who qualify for jobseekers benefit wishing to set up a business. Payment under the scheme is at the same rate and for the same duration as their entitlement to jobseekers benefit

The information requested by the Deputy in respect of people who are in receipt of BTWEA and STEA as of the 31^stof December 2018 is detailed in the following table:

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.