Marie Sherlock (Dublin Central, Labour)
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242. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to account for the reason new businesses established in 2024 are not eligible for the power up grant; the reason the grant is linked to previous entitlement to the increased cost of business scheme; the steps, if any, that will be made to correct this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4301/25]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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The Increased Cost of Business (ICOB) scheme opened for registrations in March 2024 and the grant is based on the value of the commercial rates bill received by an eligible business in 2023. Following an extension to the original deadline, the ICOB scheme closed on 29th May 2024. The Power Up grant closed on 22nd November 2024 also following an extension to the original deadline. In total, over €400 million was paid out to small businesses under these schemes in 2024.

In order to get payments to businesses as quickly as possible by the end of 2024, the Power Up grant was aligned with the ICOB scheme and a business must have received the second ICOB payment, which was open to the beauty sector, to be eligible for the Power Up grant.

Marie Sherlock (Dublin Central, Labour)
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243. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reason a business (details supplied) has been excluded from eligibility to the power up grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4303/25]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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In total, the Increased Cost of Business (ICOB) and Power Up grant schemes paid out over €400 million in 2024.

75,000 SMEs have received at least one payment under these scheme, and almost 39,000 SMEs have received multiple payments under these schemes.

These schemes were designed by my Department and implemented by the local authorities. These schemes are now closed. however, while open, each local authority was the decision maker on individual business eligibility.

My Department has no access to individual submissions and the local authority decisions were final.

I would encourage any business seeking further information on its Power Up application to engage with the relevant local authority.