Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge and welcome the extension of the Covid restrictions support scheme and the employment wage subsidy scheme. I also point out that, to date, 22,000 businesses have registered for the Covid support scheme with Revenue but it is clear that for a number of businesses, especially those which do not an annual turnover of €50,000, and this has been mentioned here on a few occasions and it is a big issue, it is extremely unfair. If those businesses are in small towns which do not at the same advantage as other businesses which might have an advantage of being in a better location, it is totally unfair. I ask for the criteria to be broadened or for a greater range of schemes to suit those other businesses that do not have turnover of €50,000 be devised. By that, I mean schemes with a decent amount of money and not some tokenistic scheme. We must be realistic. We have to ensure that our businesses survive and, more importantly, thrive as soon as this pandemic is over. We need to give them every chance. I would be grateful if the Minister could respond to that. Will the CRSS criteria be reviewed to allow businesses with a turnover of less than €50,000 apply?

Many outdoor activities providers in the midlands are not eligible for the €15 million funding provided through Fáilte Ireland simply because they do not have a minimum turnover of €50,000. The unfairness of this is that counties in the midlands, such as Offaly, are only getting their tourism strategy together. We are at a disadvantage and one cannot compare the midlands to areas on the coast that have established a tourism base and, indeed, a tourism initiative over many years. It is predictable that they would have a much greater turnover than those in the midlands. That tourism scheme is available through Fáilte Ireland and I would be grateful if this could be urgently looked at in terms of the turnover and discrimination against regions, such as the midlands.

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