Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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70. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the financial supports available for self-employed persons, including taxi drivers, to assist them getting back to work post Covid-19. [14834/20]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Government has introduced a €12bn package of supports for firms of all sizes, which includes the wage subsidy scheme, the pandemic unemployment payment for the self-employed, grants, low-cost loans, write-off of commercial rates and deferred tax liabilities, all of which will help to improve cashflow amongst SMEs. Full details on all COVID19 supports for business are available at:

Any eligible business, including the self-employed, can apply for the following supports:

MicroFinance Ireland can provide loans of up to €50,000 as an immediate measure to specifically deal with exceptional circumstances that micro-enterprises – (any business -Sole Trader, Partnership or Limited Company with less than 10 full time employees and annual turnover of up to €2m)- are facing.

My former colleague, the then Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Regina Doherty announced on 25 June that the Department’s Enterprise Support Grant will be made available to assist self-employed recipients who are exiting the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) scheme with a once-off grant of up to €1,000 to re-start their business. The grant will be payable to self-employed micro enterprises which employ fewer than 10 people, have an annual turnover of less than €1 million and are not eligible for support from the COVID19 Business Restart Grant or other similar business reopening grants.

I can assure the Deputy that I will continue to work with my colleagues across Government and all stakeholders to examine further assistance to the self-employed, including taxis, impacted by COVID 19 and we will be bringing forward an ambitious July stimulus package shortly.

My colleague, Minister Eamon Ryan T.D., Minister for Transport may be able to provide more specific guidance on supports designed to assist the transport sector, including taxi providers.