Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 May 2020
438. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if seasonal work and seasonal businesses that rely on a window of a few months to earn their living, for example, seaside resorts, cafés, pubs, restaurants and so on that will lose a full season will be included in Covid-19 payments and the restart grant. [7653/20]
View answerThe application form for the new €250m Restart Grant providing direct grant aid to micro and small businesses is available online on all local authority websites since Friday 22nd May. Eligible businesses who have remained open, or that reopened under phase 1 on 18th May or that are due to reopen in Phase 2 on 8th June under the Government’s Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business to ease the COVID-19 restrictions are encouraged to apply for the Restart Grant. These applications will be prioritised for payment by the local authorities.
The Restart Grant is aimed at helping micro and small businesses with the costs associated with reopening and re-employing workers following COVID-19 closures.
To avail of the Restart Grant, applicants must be a commercial business and be in the Local Authorities Commercial Rates Payment System and:
1. have an annual turnover of less than €5m and employ between 1 to 50 people;
2. have suffered a projected 25%+ loss in turnover to end June 2020;
3. commit to remain open or to reopen if it was closed;
4. declare the intention to retain employees that are on The Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme.
Subject to the qualifying criteria outlined above, any business that has a commercially rateable premises including those businesses with outstanding rates bills are eligible to make an application if they meet the criteria.
Businesses that are part of a tenancy arrangement, and who pay their rates via the landlord, are entitled to apply. Landlords who apportion their rates demand among their business tenants are not eligible in their own right. As above, applications should be submitted by the tenant business.
The grant will be the amount of the rates demand in respect of calendar year 2019 only, subject to a minimum of €2,000 and a maximum of €10,000.
The grant is a contribution towards the cost of re-opening or keeping a business operational and re-connecting with employees and customers. The grant could be used to defray ongoing fixed costs, eg utilities, insurance, refurbishment or for restocking and measures to ensure employee and customer safety.
This direct grant support is part of the wider €12bn package of supports for firms of all sizes, which includes grants, low-cost loans, write-off of commercial rates and deferred tax liabilities, all of which will help to improve cashflow amongst SMEs.
Applications for the Restart Grant can be made online directly to local authorities and further information is available on the application form. If there are queries that are not addressed on the application form, businesses can contact the Business Support Unit in each local authority.
