Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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70. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he plans to offer supports to SMEs to help deal with the energy crisis and rising costs of commercial tariffs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63348/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Government is acutely aware of the difficulties businesses and commercial organisations are facing with respect to the current global energy crisis and the resultant high electricity prices. As a consequence, my Department has worked intensively with the Department of Finance and Revenue to develop the Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (TBESS), in order to support businesses through this difficult period.

TBESS is targeted at businesses that experience a significant increase (50% increase in energy bills ex VAT year-on-year) in their electricity and/or gas costs over the winter period.  Once this eligibility criterion is met, support will be provided for 40% of the increase in the bill amount. This is subject to a monthly cap.

A business can make a claim under the scheme if it:

- is tax compliant

- carries on a Case I trade or Case II profession. This includes charities and approved sporting bodies that carry on certain activities; and 

- has experienced a significant increase of 50% or more in its electricity and/or natural gas average unit price.

Qualifying businesses can claim for 40% of the increases in their energy bills. The increase in energy bills must be between the ‘claim period’ and the ‘reference period’. A claim period is a calendar month from September 2022 to February 2023. A reference period is the corresponding calendar month in the previous year. For example, September 2021 is the reference period for the September 2022 claim period.

The Scheme is administered by the Revenue Commissioners and operates on a self-assessment basis.  Further information can be found at: Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (TBESS) (revenue.ie).