Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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112. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will confirm the use of the €2.5 billion allocated to Ireland under the SURE instrument operated by the European Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31594/21]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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In the Budget 2021 speech, I announced the Irish Government’s decision to make a formal application to the European Commission for funding under the Support to mitigate Unemployment Risks in an Emergency (SURE) Instrument.

The SURE instrument is intended primarily to support Member States with efforts to protect workers and jobs, and also support some health-related measures.

The application was submitted on 26 October and was based on costs already expended by the Government as part of the Covid-19 Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS), which satisfied the conditions of the SURE instrument. The Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme was introduced in March 2020 to support firm viability and preserve relationships between employers and employees. When the scheme ended in August 2020, nearly 70,000 employers and over 600,000 employees had been supported.

The application was assessed and accepted by the European Commission. On foot of this assessment, the Commission published a proposal for a Council Implementing Decision on 16 November, which was subsequently adopted by the European Council on 4 December 2020.

I can confirm to the Deputy that Ireland received €2.492 billion under SURE instrument on 30 March, 2021.