Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 7 Mar 2002

Vol. 550 No. 2

Written Answers. - Employment Support Services.

Richard Bruton

Ceist:

439 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will consider extending the back to work allowance provisions to the spouse of a qualifying person in the same way as the spouse of a qualifying person can take up community employment; and the estimated cost involved. [8251/02]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern):

The back to work allowance scheme was introduced in September 1993 as part of my Department's programme of initiatives designed to assist the long-term unemployed to return to the active labour force. Since then almost 80,000 people have availed of the scheme to take up new jobs as either employees or self employed persons.

Qualified adult dependants of customers in receipt of qualifying payments may also participate on the back to work allowance scheme. There are two ways in which this can be achieved. First, it is open to the qualified adult dependant to claim the relevant social welfare payment in his or her own right. If independent entitlement is established by the adult dependant he or she can then qualify for back to work allowance in his or her own right. The amount of the back to work allowance in such circumstances will be based on the rate of the individual entitlement.

In such circumstances the original claimant can also avail of the back to work allowance based on his or her revised entitlement. Alternatively, a qualified spouse can receive the back to work allowance where the claimant transfers his or her entitlement to the qualified spouse. The claimant, in these circumstances, is advised to sign for unemployment credits in order to protect future social insurance entitlements. The qualified adult is now regarded as the recipient of the social welfare payment and therefore entitled to the back to work allowance.

Participants in the scheme also retain a wide range of secondary benefits, such as medical cards, while working under the scheme. Participants also have their new income from employment or self-employment so that there is a significant increase in the overall household income. I am satisfied that the existing arrangements to enable adult dependants of qualified customers access to the back to work allowance scheme provided a good incentive to persons in this category who may wish to avail of this option.