Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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199. To ask the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment the grant assistance or supports that are being made available to places of worship to enable Covid-19 protocols to be put in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42549/20]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I am acutely aware of the difficulties that communities and voluntary organisations have faced in recent months due to the impact of social distancing requirements.

The Government’s 'Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19, the operation and reopening of Ireland' will be guided by the need to manage risk and repairing the damage that COVID-19 has inflicted on society, and the implementation of appropriate measures to do so across society as the situation evolves.

Earlier this year, the Department of Rural and Community Development (DRCD) introduced a package for Community and Voluntary Organisations, Charities and Social Enterprises. This includes a Stability Fund of up to €35m and a Philanthropy Fund of €5m. Under the July stimulus a €5m fund for repairs or upgrades to community centres and community buildings was launched.

DRCD is also responsible for the Community Services Programme (CSP) and Community Enhancement Programme (CEP), which may be of some assistance.

My colleague, Minister Heather Humphreys T.D., Minister for Rural and Community Development, may be able to provide more specific details on these schemes and the roadmap to recovery.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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200. To ask the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment if there are additional Covid-19 supports available for companies in the position of a company (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42564/20]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I am keenly aware that businesses are making a massive sacrifice to protect their communities and I am committed to ensuring that the Government will offer as much assistance and support as possible.

My Department has worked to ensure that appropriate supports are in place for businesses as they develop their response to impacts arising from COVID-19. Details of the wide range of supports available are noted on my Department’s website at

Budget 2021 provided 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. We are providing for an extension of the tax warehousing scheme to include repayments of Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme funds owed by employers and preliminary tax obligations for adversely affected businesses.

In Budget 2021, the Government announced the provision of support of €50m for the live entertainment sector. This will include measures for the commercial entertainment sector and will support live entertainment across the country. The 2021 supports for the live entertainment sector will be the subject of further consultation with stakeholders. It will also be informed by the pilot live performance scheme in 2020 which is being rolled out now.

My colleague, Minister Catherine Martin T.D., Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht, may be able to provide more specific details on these supports for the entertainment sector, for which she has lead responsibility.

These measures are in addition to the July Stimulus €7bn package of enterprise measures, which includes the Wage Subsidy Scheme extended through 2021, the Pandemic Unemployment Payment, grants, low-cost loans, write-off of commercial rates and deferred tax liabilities, all of which will help to improve cashflow amongst self-employed.

I acknowledge the issue arising whereby businesses might not be eligible for the CRSS or other measures announced in the budget, such as the €50 million fund for live entertainment. I have asked my officials to conduct work along with officials from the Department of Finance and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, regarding how many businesses might be in this position and to report back to me with proposals.