Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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19. To ask the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment if an anomaly in the restart grant and restart plus grant will be rectified in which group self-catering businesses are not eligible for same (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32029/20]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I empathise particularly with businesses in the tourism sector that have suffered devastating consequences as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the National Tourism Development Authority, Fáilte Ireland has been working with the tourism and hospitality industry throughout the pandemic to help businesses navigate the crisis.

The Restart Grant Plus for B&Bs is an additional grant programme for tourism businesses contained in the July Jobs Stimulus and is administered by Fáilte Ireland on behalf of this Department. My officials are engaging with colleagues in Fáilte Ireland on the scheme and its coverage of self-catering businesses. The Restart Grant schemes were designed to provide support towards the cost of staying open or reopening in relation to normally commercially operating businesses.

The grants are available to businesses that operate from rateable premises and which meet the qualifying criteria. The rates system was used as a proxy for the level of business activity. In addition, payment of grants through the rates system was also seen as an efficient way to provide the grants in question.

The Government has also announced €55 million for a Tourism Business Support Scheme and €5 million for Tourism Product Development alongside its extensive tax measures. In this regard, the VAT rate for the hospitality and tourism sector will also be cut from 13.5% to 9% with effect from 1 November 2020.

Budget 2021 provides a significant package of tax and expenditure measures to build the resilience of the economy and to help vulnerable but viable businesses across all sectors.

As part of Budget 2021, the New Covid Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS), to be operated through Revenue from 13 October 2020, will offer a targeted, timely and temporary sector-specific support to businesses forced to close or trade at significantly reduced levels due to COVID of up to €5,000 per month. The Government is also providing more and cheaper loan finance through MicroFinance Ireland, SBCI and the new €2bn Credit Guarantee Scheme.

All COVID-19 Business Schemes are closely monitored in terms of the evolving situation and will be adapted as circumstances dictate. In that regard, I can assure you that I will continue to work with my colleagues across Government and all stakeholders to examine how best to further assist businesses impacted by COVID-19 as part of the forthcoming National Economic Plan.

Details of the wide range of COVID-19 supports available are noted on my Department’s website at .

With specific regard to the tourism sector, the Fáilte Ireland COVID-19 Business Support Hub () is targeting its supports to respond to the most urgent challenges and threats tourism businesses are now facing.

Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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20. To ask the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment if his attention has been drawn to international news reports of Covid-19 public health breaches at a location (details supplied); if the issue will be referred to the HSA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32030/20]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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All employers must comply with the Return to Work Safely Protocol which is designed to put measures in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace,

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) is the lead Agency in relation to oversight and compliance with the Protocol.  It ensures compliance through a range of measures including advice, guidance, inspection and enforcement action as appropriate and as provided for in the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005. Since the 18 May 2020 the HSA has carried out over 3,956 inspections across a range of sectors to enforce compliance with the Protocol. In total over 17,500 inspections assessing compliance with the COVID-19 RTWSP have been carried out by the various State Agencies.

The Health and Safety Authority's workplace contact unit (WCU) is available to answer any queries employers, workers or members of the public may have regarding all occupational safety and health matters including compliance with the Protocol.

Any worker with concerns about compliance with the Protocol can contact the WCU, in confidence, by phone at 1890 289 389 or (01) 6147000 or at any time by email at wcu@hsa.ie.

It should be noted Section 27 of the Health, Safety and Welfare Act, 2005 prohibits an employer from penalising or threatening to penalise an employee with respect to any terms or condition of his/her employment, where the employee is exercising any right under safety and health legislation. The enforcement of Section 27 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 is a matter for the Workplace Relations Commission.  Any employee who feels that their health and safety, or employment rights, have been breached has recourse to the industrial mechanisms of the State. 

I would, however, also highlight the fact that concerns a worker might have around adherence to the Protocol can, and should be, brought to the attention of the designated lead COVID-19 worker representative. The Protocol emphasises that collaboration, communication and exchange of information between employers and employees is vital and both employer and employee have a role to play and have responsibilities towards each other.