Written answers

Tuesday, 10 November 2020

Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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162. To ask the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment if self-employed persons aged 66 and over can qualify for the restart grant to ensure that there is no discrimination between such business operators on age grounds. [34639/20]

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Restart Plus Grant scheme was launched on 10thAugust 2020 from the Government’s July Jobs Stimulus. The scheme was designed primarily to help businesses that have not reopened yet and those struggling to do so. The Government carefully assessed the immediate needs of businesses and responded with a package of scale and speed to meet their most crucial needs. The eligibility criteria were carefully devised to ensure that as many businesses as possible could access the scheme.

To qualify for the scheme, enterprises must have 250 employees or less; turnover of less than €100,000 per employee; and reduced turnover by 25% as a result of COVID-19. There is no age restriction associated with the eligibility criteria.

The Restart Grant Plus scheme closed as of 31stOctober 2020. The COVID Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS) operated by the Revenue Commissioners is now in place.

Photo of Peadar TóibínPeadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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163. To ask the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment if he put in place the option of redundancy to be made available to all employees in circumstances in which no definitive time frame can be put in place for them to return to work on a permanent basis such as in the wet pub industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34650/20]

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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In March 2020 the Government introduced an emergency amendment to the Redundancy Payments Act 1967 which effectively suspends an employee’s entitlement to claim redundancy from their employer following certain periods of lay-off or short-time work due to Covid-19. The Government was concerned that the financial impact of significant redundancy claims at this time would have a serious impact on the potential for businesses, and the economy as a whole, to recover which in turn could result in significant insolvency and bankruptcy situations, with further permanent job losses.

The decision to extend the emergency measure to 30th November was a difficult one. I know many employees are experiencing great uncertainty but the Government had to consider the need to ensure businesses survive, which in turn ensures further permanent job losses are avoided as much as possible.

The matter of a further extension is currently under consideration. In its deliberations the Government will have regard to the social partners’ views, the criteria and principles underpinning the emergency provision and the public health and labour market situations.

There is no provision to limit the application of the emergency measure to specific business sectors.

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