Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

433. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if startup businesses that began trading in late 2019 or in 2020 are eligible for the restart grant that was confirmed for SMEs recently in view of the fact that in these instances the businesses will not have a record of paying commercial rates for 2019. [7568/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

On Friday, May 15^th, 2020 the Government announced details of the new €250m Restart Grant providing direct grant aid to micro and small businesses to help them with the costs associated with reopening and re-employing workers following COVID-19 closures; with the grant being administered by local authorities from Friday, May 22^nd, 2020.

Eligible businesses who have stayed open throughout the crisis, as well as those who are reopening under Phase 1 (from 18^thMay) and Phase 2 (8^thJune) of the Government’s Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business, are encouraged to apply first for the Restart Grant. These applications will be prioritised for payment by the local authorities.

To avail of the Restart Grant, applicants must be a commercial business and be in the Local Authorities Commercial Rates Payment System and:

1. have an annual turnover of less than €5m and employ between 1 to 50 people;

2. have suffered a projected 25%+ loss in turnover to end June 2020;

3. commit to remain open or to reopen if it was closed;

4. declare the intention to retain employees that are on The Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme.

Subject to the qualifying criteria outlined above, any business that has a commercially rateable premises including those businesses with outstanding rates bills are eligible to make an application if they meet the criteria. The grant will be the amount of the rates demand in respect of calendar year 2019 only, subject to a minimum of €2,000 and a maximum of €10,000.

If a company is currently in a rateable premise but was not rate-assessed in 2019 it is still eligible to apply. The local authority can pay the grant based on an estimate of what the rates demand for 2019 would have been.

Applications for the Restart Grant can be made online directly to local authorities and further information can be obtained by contacting the Business Support Unit of the relevant local authority.

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

434. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if there are grants available to business to install safety equipment and other measures to reduce the spread of Covid-19 (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7572/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

A major part of my Department’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been to expand the range of financial supports to ensure businesses have sufficient liquidity to see them through the crisis and to prepare for the announced reopening phases. My Department and I continue to monitor the needs of companies as the situation evolves and provide new supports where required and appropriate to do so.

Included in the now €7.5 billion of liquidity supports which I announced over the past few weeks, is a Sustaining Enterprise Fund for Small Enterprises which is being administered by Enterprise Ireland. This fund for smaller businesses provides €25,000 and €50,000 in repayable advances, depending on size and turnover of company. This fund will provide liquidity to enable these enterprises to steer a pathway towards recovery and to introduce measures in response to the controls and health and safety requirements in line with changing work patterns and protocols and guidelines being introduced as we begin the re-opening of the economy.

On 15th May last, the Government also agreed the arrangements for the new €250m “Restart Grant” for micro enterprises and small businesses. The "Restart Grant" is a contribution towards the cost of re-opening or keeping a business operational and re-connecting with employees and customers. It will be a critically important tool to support small businesses to reopen their doors and get back on their feet. This grant will enable small and micro business reconnect with their employees and customer base by helping to defray ongoing fixed costs and the costs, such as PPE, associated with re-launching the business.

The grants will be based on the rates bill of the business in 2019, with a minimum payment of €2,000 and a maximum payment of €10,000. Applications for the "Restart Grant" can be made online to all local authorities from Friday 22nd May.

In addition to the extensive package of liquidity measures announced, the full range of Enterprise Ireland, IDA, Local Enterprise Office (LEO) and Údarás na Gaeltachta grant and advisory supports continue to be available to eligible firms to help with strategies to access finance, commence or ramp-up online trading activity, reconfigure business models, cut costs, innovate, diversify markets and supply chains and to improve competitiveness.

I can assure the Deputy that I continue to work with my colleagues across Government and all stakeholders to examine further appropriate supports to assist businesses impacted by Covid-19. In that regard, Government will continue to explore funding potential for all enterprises as they work through the challenges facing them, including through any mechanisms allowable under the EU’s state aid framework.