Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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497. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason a self-employed person (details supplied) who went on maternity leave on 17 February 2020 and who was not as result eligible for the pandemic unemployment payment is now being refused the enterprise grant for small businesses although they made the necessary upgrades to their business to allow them to reopen in August 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25266/20]

Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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570. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of the new €1000 enterprise support grant; the number of self-employed persons that have availed of this support to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25620/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 497 and 570 together.

The enterprise support grant was extended to assist eligible self-employed individuals who exit the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment or jobseekers schemes after 18th May 2020 to re-start their business which was closed due to the impact of the pandemic. As of Friday 18th September, there have been 1,940 grants approved by my Department.

The grant, of up to €1,000, is payable to sole traders which employ fewer than 10 people, have an annual turnover of less than €1 million and are not eligible for support from the COVID 19 Business Restart Grant or other similar business reopening grants. Funding of €12 million has been provided for this grant.

My officials are contacting the applicant referred to by the Deputy to review her grant application.

A self-employed individual who closes their Pandemic Unemployment Payment is encouraged to send their grant application, available on , to their local Intreo Centre.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputies.