Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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134. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the criteria for companies to avail of the Ukraine enterprise crisis scheme; if his attention has been drawn to reports that Enterprise Ireland is advising companies that they must be clients of Enterprise Ireland to avail of the scheme when no such condition exists under the terms of the scheme approved by the European Commission and by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20227/23]

Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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The Ukraine Enterprise Crisis Scheme is administered through Enterprise Ireland, the IDA and Údarás na Gaeltachta on behalf of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

Presently, the Ukraine Enterprise Crisis Scheme (Streams 1 and 2) is open to all manufacturing and/or Internationally Traded Services (ITS) businesses operating in the State. To be eligible for the scheme a company must also demonstrate that it has been negatively impacted because of Putin’s war in Ukraine. The company must have suffered, at a minimum, a 15% drop in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) based on a comparison of the financial statements of the company for the period 2021 versus 2022/2023. This negative impact on the financials of the company must be attributed to the financial adverse impacts caused by the war in Ukraine for Stream 1 or increased energy costs under Stream 2.

In relation to Enterprise Ireland’s management of the Scheme, I understand that communications by EI stipulate that companies do not have to be clients of Enterprise Ireland or any other State Agency to apply for support under the Ukraine Enterprise Crisis Scheme, other than meeting the specified Scheme criteria to be eligible for support.