John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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147. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if the appeal process relative to the increased cost of business and power up grants has been finalised; and if so, the date it will open. [5048/25]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Following an extension to the original deadline, the Increased Cost of Business (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 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. In total, over €400 million was paid out to small businesses under these schemes in 2024.

My Department is continuing to review issues in relation to businesses that may have been incorrectly classified in their original ICOB submission.

Joe Neville (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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148. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when his Department will issue an instruction to Kildare County Council to allow them to open the portal for businesses to change their classifications in relation to the increased cost of business grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5181/25]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Following an extension to the original deadline, the Increased Cost of Business (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 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. In total, over €400 million was paid out to small businesses under these schemes in 2024.

My Department is continuing to review issues in relation to businesses that may have been incorrectly classified in their original ICOB submission.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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149. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the provision being made to compensate small businesses and sole traders who had their premises and businesses closed due to Storm Éowyn, incurring substantial loss of earnings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5184/25]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Since 24th January, I have been closely monitoring the situation in relation to Storm Éowyn and its attendant impacts on the business community. It is clear that this storm has been an unprecedented weather event. My Office has been in receipt of daily updates from the National Emergency Coordination Group and I have been provided with updates from Local Enterprise Offices in the counties with the most significant and prolonged impacts. In this regard, I am acutely aware of the significant challenges that the impacts of Storm Éowyn has caused for business owners over recent weeks.

Following the immediate damage caused by the storm, many businesses have been impacted by subsequent outages in relation to power, water and communications networks. As well as this, I am aware that some businesses will have had a loss of earnings due to disruption to their operations, spoilage of stock and indeed some will have incurred additional costs in relation to repairs or the temporary use of electrical generators.

With regard the specific issue raised in relation to compensation packages for businesses with losses arising from Storm Éowyn, businesses should first seek recourse through their insurance providers.

I have been engaging directly with representatives of the Insurance industry and my understanding is that most losses incurred by businesses such as property damage, lost earnings and spoilage of stock fall within standard insurance cover. However I will of course continue to engage with businesses and to monitor updates coming both from the National Emergency Coordination Group and the Local Enterprise Offices.

More broadly, the Programme for Government includes a commitment to an Extreme Weather Event Assistance Scheme, designed to support affected households, farms and businesses. This initiative predates Storm Éowyn and is a strategic policy action for delivery within the timeframe of the current Government.

While the full details of this scheme are still to be fully worked through, the broad aim should be to strengthen the existing humanitarian assistance schemes already in place across a number of Departments. The unprecedented impacts of Storm Éowyn require this initiative to be a high priority policy for the relevant Departments and in this regard, my officials are engaging with their counterparts bilaterally to progress this policy measure as a matter of urgency with a view to the relevant Ministers sharing details of the Extreme Weather Event Assistance Scheme in due course.