Vol. 491 No. 3
368 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if the back-to-work allowance will be approved for a person (details supplied) in County Wexford in view of the fact that he was previously unemployed and there was a genuine delay in sending in the application. [11872/98]
The objective of the back to work allowance scheme is to provide a financial incentive to long-term unemployed people to return to work. The scheme has a limited number of places and is targeted at people who need an additional financial incentive to return to the workforce. It is a requirement of the scheme that an applicant must apply prior to taking up employment. The person concerned commenced employment on 14 January 1998. He did not apply for the allowance until 6 April 1998. His application was refused on the grounds that his claim was late and that he was in a position to return to work without the need for the financial incentive which the scheme provides.
