Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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167. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if financial support can be given to a business (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25698/21]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Budget 2021 introduced 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 measures include the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), now extended until the 30th of June, the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), the COVID-19 Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS), and the 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 suggest that the business involved should first check with their insurance company to see if they are covered for this eventuality. They may also wish to seek financial assistance through our various loans schemes, including the Microfinance Ireland (MFI) loan scheme. MFI works with small businesses with fewer than 10 employees and turnover up to €2m, by providing unsecured business loans of €2,000 to €25,000 for commercially viable proposals. MFI loan applications can be made through your Local Enterprise Office and a discount of 1% can be availed of off the standard interest rate.

The remit of my colleague Eamon Ryan TD., Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, includes supporting small Irish businesses trading online by enhancing citizen engagement with digital technology, and the government works to reduce the risks to internet infrastructure and services to maintain a resilient, secure and trustworthy online environment that people and businesses can rely upon for social and economic interaction.