Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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17. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if further additional supports will be made available to gaming arcades following the decision to not reopen the sector in the latest phase of reopening the economy and society in line with Recovery and Resilience: The Path Ahead; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39561/21]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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I am acutely aware of the ongoing difficulties that businesses continue to face due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the Deputy is 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), Small business assistance Scheme for COVID (SBASC), low-cost loans, the deferral and warehousing of tax liabilities and the waiver of commercial rates. The level of business supports is unprecedented.

I would urge businesses to ensure that they are aware of what is available to them and apply for the appropriate schemes.

Among the supports outlined above, the Government has worked to ensure that there is a range of assistance in place for COVID-19-impacted businesses including the COVID-19 Working Capital Scheme, the Brexit Loan Scheme, the COVID-19 Credit Guarantee Scheme and the Future Growth Loan Scheme.

You will also be aware that on the 1^stof June 2021 Government announced the Business Resumption Support Scheme (BRSS) for vulnerable but viable businesses in sectors that were significantly impacted throughout the pandemic, even during periods when restrictions are eased. The BRSS will be administered by Revenue on behalf of the Minister for Finance, and is due to be implemented in September 2021.

Full details of the wide range of current COVID-19 schemes for businesses are available on the Department’s website at:

enterprise.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Supports-for-SMEs/COVID-19-supports/