Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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192. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the supports that will be put in place for SMEs following the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15677/21]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I recognise the impact that this pandemic is having on businesses right across the country.

With this in mind the Government has put in place a comprehensive package to help businesses and workers during the pandemic, including the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), the COVID-19 Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS), the Small Business Assistance Scheme for COVID (SBASC), low-cost loans, the deferral and warehousing of tax liabilities and the waiver of commercial rates. These are in addition to financial assistance and other schemes provided to businesses via Enterprise Ireland, InterTrade Ireland and Local Enterprise Offices.

Details of the wide range of supports available are on my Department’s website: Government supports for COVID-19 impacted businesses - DETE (enterprise.gov.ie)

I would urge business owners to seek the supports outlined above if they have not already done so. I would also suggest they contact their Local Enterprise Office who can signpost them and advise them of supports that may be available for their business.

The level of support now being provided to businesses across all sectors is unprecedented and ahead of that available in other jurisdictions. Our focus is to ensure the safety of our people and guide our economy towards recovery by ensuring that we had an appropriate mix of supports in place to support workers and businesses in moving between the levels of the COVID-19 Resilience and Recovery 2021- The Path Ahead.

I and my colleagues across Government will continue to keep the range of measures under review with the goal of setting our country towards economic recovery. The Government is determined to ensure there will be no cliff-edge scenario and businesses will continue to be supported as much as possible.