Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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150. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there are many businesses that do not have rateable business premises and do not qualify for supports; if a support scheme for such businesses will be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18370/21]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I am acutely aware of the difficulties that these necessary ongoing Covid-19 restrictions are putting on all businesses right across the country. Business owners are making sacrifices in order to protect their communities.

As you are aware, 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), low-cost loans, the deferral and warehousing of tax liabilities and the waiver of commercial rates.

You will also know that 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. The level of Government supports is unprecedented.

Some schemes do have an eligibility requirement of a business operating from a premises on which rates are payable. The reason for this provision is to assist businesses operating from fixed premises to meet some of the ongoing fixed costs of maintaining those premises.

The Government business fixed cost support schemes are there to help meet costs that cannot be avoided and to provide basic weekly income support up to maximum of €350 per week. They are not created to provide compensation for loss of personal income above this level or compensation for loss of profits for any sector.

Full details of the wide range of COVID-19 schemes are available on my Department’s website at .

I want to assure you, however, the Government is consulting with business sectors and I am aware of their concerns and I and my colleagues across Government are continuing to keep the range of measures under review.

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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151. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the position regarding requests for appeals in respect of the restart grant scheme that was introduced for Covid-19 when the closing date was brought in abruptly without giving proper notice to potential applicants; the funding that has been provided by his Department to local authorities in respect of appeals; the amount paid by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18410/21]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Restart grant scheme was launched in May 2020 and was live on all local authority websites. It was advertised extensively both nationally and locally as well as across social media. The Scheme was initially intended to provide grants in tandem with the phased re-opening of the economy as per the Government’s Roadmap. As the Roadmap was accelerated, so too was the scheme available to all eligible businesses and sectors.

The numbers of applications nationally had begun to taper off as we considered introducing an expanded Restart Scheme with higher grant levels. As the Government decided to introduce the higher grant levels, to the benefit of a much larger group of businesses, it was decided to end the original scheme. The Restart Grant Plus Scheme was launched in August 2020, with increased minimum and maximum grants available to a larger cohort of businesses.

Businesses, for whichever reason, that were unable to apply for the original Restart Grant scheme were entitled to submit an appeal to their Local Authority. In this context it is important to note that for the purposes of the Restart Grant and Restart Grant Plus schemes, each Local Authority was the decision-making body and the appeals body, so individual appeals were directed in the first instance to their respective Local Authority, noting the circumstances/reasons for the particular appeal.

I have outlined in the table below the specific information requested by the Deputy, as at 9 April 2021:

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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153. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the supports available for small businesses if rent arrears are demanded to be paid by landlords post Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18435/21]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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These are difficult times and many companies have had to temporarily close their businesses and / or premise(s), curtail their activities or make alternative work arrangements due to COVID-19 restrictions. I am aware that some businesses are concerned that some landlords are continuing to insist on the payment of rents and leases as normal despite their premises being closed.

The issue of commercial rents is primarily a contractual matter for the parties involved. However, the Government has urged landlords and tenants to talk to one another and come to some arrangement, as it is in everybody’s interest that terms are amicably agreed. With this in mind, on 1st October 2020, I published the Code of Conduct between landlords and tenants for commercial rents. The aim of the voluntary Code is to facilitate discussions between landlords and tenants impacted by COVID-19. It sets out a structured approach for engagement between both commercial landlords and tenants, based on their mutual interest in continuing to work together.

The Code sets out that parties should act in good faith and in an honest and transparent manner. It suggests that tenants seeking new arrangements should be clear as to why assistance is needed. Landlords should provide concessions where they can and, where this is not possible, should clearly set out the reasons for this. The Code also lists some of the issues to consider when determining the impact on a business and the need for concession and also some suggested options for new arrangements.

However, this Code should not be seen in isolation. To date, the Government has put in place a comprehensive package to help businesses during the pandemic, including the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), the COVID-19 Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS), Small Business Assistance Scheme for COVID (SBASC), low-cost loans, the deferral and warehousing of tax liabilities and the waiver of commercial rates.

I would urge business owners to seek the supports outlined above if they have not already done so. I would also suggest that small business owners contact their Local Enterprise Office who can signpost them and advise them of supports that may be available for their business. Details of the Code of Conduct and the wide range of supports available for business are on my Department’s website.

The Government is committed to ensuring as many businesses as possible survive this challenging period, and it will continue to look at how we can help businesses that have been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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154. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his plans to provide support under the Covid-19 business aid scheme for those without commercial rates contributions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18444/21]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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I am very aware of the difficulties that business owners continue to face due to the ongoing but necessary COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

With that 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), Small Business Assistance Scheme for COVID (SBASC), low-cost loans, the deferral and warehousing of tax liabilities and the waiver of commercial rates.

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 and they can signpost and advise of supports that maybe available.

The SBASC scheme you refer to does have a payment of rates eligibility requirement. The intention behind this provision is to assist businesses operating from fixed premises to meet some of the ongoing fixed costs of maintaining those premises.

The schemes are there to help meet fixed costs that cannot be avoided and to provide basic weekly income support up to maximum of €350 per week. They are not created to provide compensation for loss of personal income above this level or compensation for loss of profits for any sector.

I want to assure you, however, the Government is consulting with business sectors and I am aware of their concerns and I and my colleagues across Government are continuing to keep the range of measures under review.