Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This new support scheme for businesses with a reduced turnover as a result of the public health restrictions is most welcome. It is especially welcome that it is open to businesses that may have previously qualified for the Covid restrictions support scheme, CRSS. My chief concern is to ensure enough information is out there about what supports are available. A number of schemes have had criteria that many businesses could not meet. Certainly, there was much confusion in this regard among people who came to me for assistance. It is important that we look at this issue carefully in order to help as many businesses as we can. I am concerned that the new scheme is not very well advertised. Given the figures the Minister gave, I remain concerned. There have been instances where businesses got lost in whether they qualified for different schemes. It is important that we have other schemes working alongside the new scheme. We must ensure the information is out there and gets to the businesses that qualify for the BRSS. I acknowledge that criteria were given but it is important that the information gets to people. I have concerns about the uptake thus far.

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