James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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102. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of businesses in counties Kildare, Wicklow, Meath and Louth, respectively that registered for the increased cost of business grant before 1 May 2024; how many more in each county have registered since the application process reopened on 15 May 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23056/24]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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The Government is very aware that SMEs have faced a number of economic shocks in recent years which have resulted in cost increases.

On May 15th, I, along with my Government colleagues, announced a substantial range of measures to reduce costs for small and medium sized businesses.

Included in these measures was the reopening of the ICOB portal from 15th May to 29th May, in order to allow rate paying business owners who have not registered to do so. We have received feedback that the process of registering is simple and quick.

As part of re-opening the ICOB scheme and given the greater impact that increased costs are having on the hospitality and retail sector, as noted in the DETE-DSP joint working paper titled ‘An Assessment of the Cumulative Impact of Proposed Measures to Improve Working Conditions in Ireland’, it has been agreed that business operating in these sectors will receive a second payment for approved businesses or a double payment for new registrations under this scheme.

The figures you requested as at May 21st are as follows:

Kildare - 2867 have registered since 1st May and 48 have registered since the scheme reopened.

Wicklow - 2013 have registered since 1st May and 15 have registered since the scheme reopened.

Meath - 2320 have registered since 1st May and 23 have registered since the scheme reopened.

Louth - 1912 have registered since 1st May and 15 have registered since the scheme reopened.