Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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520. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if payments to those on the back-to-work enterprise allowance scheme will be extended for the period in which those on the scheme were not allowed to trade during the lock down earlier in 2020. [28410/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA) scheme offers support for people who are long-term unemployed and who are interested in self-employment as a route to entering the labour market. The scheme plays a vital role in supporting the development of new enterprises for the long term unemployed. The BTWEA is payable to self-employed individuals for a 24 month period from the commencement of their new business.

All participants of the BTWEA will be in a position to receive their full period of entitlement of 24 months. This includes anyone who contacted my Department to temporarily suspend their allowance while their business closed. Where someone sought a suspension of their BTWEA, they can avail of the remainder of their 24 months on reopening their business.

I trust this clarifies the position.