Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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380. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reason some businesses that are within the retail and hospitality sectors, when filling in the increased cost of business grant application under services, where they have no choice only to select 'other services', has affected their eligibility for receiving the Power Up grant; if there is an option for these businesses which are registered as retail/hospitality to appeal this error; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8144/25]

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.

In order to get payments to businesses before the end of 2024, the Power Up grant was aligned with the ICOB scheme and a business must have received the second ICOB grant and be in the hospitality, retail and beauty sectors in order to receive the Power Up grant.

My Department is aware of issues that have arisen during the registration period, in particular, in relation to businesses that were ineligible for the grant due to incorrect classification of their business type while registering for ICOB. The Department is currently reviewing the issues that have arisen and will consider next steps in consultation with the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform and the local authorities.