Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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448. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his attention has been drawn to cases whereby businesses that qualify for the increased cost of business grant and power up grant were misclassified in the wrong category; if an appeals system has been established to ensure they can draw this funding down; if this appeal system has been communicated to all local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29207/25]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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In total, €400 million in grant aid was successfully paid to SMEs right across the country in 2024 under the Increased Cost of Business scheme and the Power Up grant.

Following the launch of Power Up, the Department and local authorities became aware of an issue where businesses misclassified their business sector and were subsequently not eligible for the grant.

In order to address this, the Government recently approved an appeals process that will give those businesses in the retail, hospitality and beauty sectors that were not eligible for ICOB and the Power Up grant because of the misclassification issue, an opportunity to register for those grants.

This is not a re-opening of those grant schemes, this is designed solely to allow those who originally misclassified their business sector an opportunity to register for the grants.

The Department are currently engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation and with the local authorities to agree on the details of the reclassification process. Subject to agreement with the local authorities, it is intended to open the appeals process as soon as possible and local authorities will contact the eligible businesses and inform them of the necessary steps to apply.