Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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1160. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the enterprise support grant will be made available to sole trader rate payers that did receive restart grants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19651/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Enterprise Support Grant (ESG) is available to eligible self-employed recipients of small businesses who close their Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) and re-start their business and who are not eligible for other grants available from other Government Departments. A once-off grant of up to €1,000, to assist with the costs associated with reopening, is available under this measure.

The grant is payable to self-employed individuals who employ fewer than 10 people, have an annual turnover of less than €1 million and are not eligible for Covid related business grants from other Departments, such as the COVID19 Restrictions Support Scheme.

Approximately 9,000 applications have been approved since the introduction of this grant, with funding of almost €8.3m paid to small businesses. A provision of €12m is available for this support in 2021.

Covid related supports for businesses who operate from a premises and are liable for rates are primarily a matter for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.