Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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413. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation when the details of the restart fund for micro and small business of €250 million will be available; the reason the scheme was announced before application forms and details were available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8951/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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On Friday, 15 May, 2020, the Government decided to establish a new €250m Restart Grant providing direct grant aid to micro and small businesses to help them with the costs associated with reopening following COVID-19 closures.

The Restart Grant support is one part of the Government's wider €12bn package of supports for firms of all sizes, which includes the wage subsidy scheme, grants, low-cost loans, write-off of commercial rates and deferred tax liabilities, all of which will help to improve cashflow amongst SMEs.

The grant is being administered by the local authorities. The online Application Form and Frequently Asked Questions Document went live from Friday 22 May.

Eligible businesses who have stayed open throughout the crisis, as well as those who are reopening under Phase 1 (from 18 May) and Phase 2 (8 June) 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 50 people or less;

2. have suffered a projected 25%+ loss in turnover between 1 April and 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

For any further queries, local businesses can contact the Business Support Unit in each local authority.

Joe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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414. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if the criteria for the business restart scheme will be amended to include charity shops which are precluded (details supplied). [9133/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Restart Grant is aimed at commercial business.  We have sought to prioritise commercial entities that are totally dependent on their trading income which in turn creates paid employment locally and will drive economic activity and get money circulating. Within our limited funding, the aim is to get these businesses back up and running, trading as normally as possible so that they can retain employees who will no longer need a temporary wage subsidy or be able to take back workers who are on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment.

 The €250m Restart Grant is just one of a range of supports provided by the Government to support businesses, employers and employees on foot of the crisis.

My colleagues Michael Ring TD, the Minister for Rural and Community Development and Seán Canney TD, Minister of State with responsibility for Community Development,  on Friday, 8th May announced the launch of a €40 million package of supports specifically for Community and Voluntary Organisations, Charities and Social Enterprises.  The package consists of:

- A €35 million ‘COVID-19 Stability Fund’ which will provide a level of support to qualifying organisations who are most in need and have seen their trading and/or fundraising income drop significantly during the crisis; and

- A €5m Government commitment to a Philanthropy Fund, (Innovate Together) which will focus on supporting responses to the COVID-19 crisis that require innovative and adaptive solutions to existing and emerging challenges.

The Stability Fund is being administered by Pobal.  The Government will continue to support the needs of different sectors with well tailored and targeted initiatives.