Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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As Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment I am acutely aware of the impact the current high energy costs are having on businesses of all size, including in the hospitality and food production sectors.

Last week, the Government announced the Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme as part of the Budget. The scheme is aimed at businesses whose average unit gas or electricity price has risen by over 50% compared with their average unit gas or electricity price for the same period in 2021.

Pending State Aid approval, it is intended that the scheme will be up and running before the end of the year. Payments will be backdated to include September 2022. Whilst the finer details of the scheme are being finalised, in general, qualifying businesses will be able to apply to Revenue for a cash payment, representing an advance credit for energy expenses that are deductible for income and/or corporation tax purposes. The credit will be calculated as 40% of the excess of the 2022 bill over the 2021 bill, capped at €10,000 per business unit per month. Overall caps at business level will also apply as set out in the EU Temporary Crisis Framework.

The first thing any business can do to mitigate high energy bills is to take all steps possible to reduce energy use. A good first step to achieving greater energy efficiency is for businesses to gain a better understanding of their current usage. My Department's Climate Toolkit 4 Business provides a clear and accessible starting point for any business, pointing them to enterprise-specific climate action resources, including energy efficiency measures. Businesses can save their results and then monitor their performance over time.

An Energy Audit voucher is available to many businesses from the SEAI. The Support Scheme for Energy Audits pays for a high-quality energy audit for SMEs that spend more than €10,000 annually on energy. There is also a range of energy efficiency modules on offer through the SEAI Energy Academy – a free, online e-learning platform designed and curated by Ireland's leading energy experts.