Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I join with other Deputies welcome the extension of CRSS and EWSS. We also need to acknowledge Revenue's forbearance on debt warehousing. We must also acknowledge that, as we open up the economy, many small to medium-sized enterprises will open with significant debt attached to their businesses. With regard to the EWSS, we know there needs to be a 30% reduction in turnover or unit orders from a six-month period in 2019. This can be very difficult for businesses to chart. Some businesses have tried to access the scheme and are now afraid that having done so, they may be over the threshold and are concerned about how Revenue will treat them at a time when cash flow will be difficult for them.

The Minister highlighted how he has kept the EWSS in line with the PUP, but he needs to be very cognisant when we go to open the economy that the supports given for those unemployed and furloughed at present do not keep them so. We need to get people back into the workforce and back working. These supports must not act as a disincentive for employees to return to work.

CRSS is a large-scale payment which, as a number of Deputies have outlined, is tied to rateable premises. Along with many other Deputies, I have made a number of representations to the Department regarding people who are not able to access payments and supports, particularly in my area. I mentioned to the Secretary General of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment that people in the showmen's guild do not have rateable premises but provide a lot of employment in the summer season. Many of them carry significant lease costs on equipment. They have had no support whatsoever from the State. It makes it very difficult.

I welcome the announcement of the live entertainment fund, but we need clarity on how it is to be administered and what are the criteria to access it. The schemes being extended and the fact there will be no cliff edge, as the Minister outlined, is very helpful and I applaud it but we must now place particular emphasis on the SME sector. The Minister outlined a number of times how foreign direct investment has remained robust through Covid, but this is not the case for the SME sector, in which a large amount of regional and rural employment in particular is based. What other supports does the Minister envisage for the future? What are his thoughts on how future debt will be carried after the period of forbearance? What interest rates will apply? What benign aspects might Revenue take on this? In essence, I support the extension but we will need to do more and for longer to support the SME sector as the economy tries to open up.

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