Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 May 2020
467. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if she and her colleagues have considered putting in place sector-specific task forces to oversee the lifting of restrictions and get businesses back to operating as quickly and as safely as possible as the United Kingdom has implemented. [8077/20]
View answerThe Government’s Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business sets out five stages for unlocking the restrictions put in place to contain the Coronavirus, at three week intervals. The Roadmap sets out how we can keep the level of transmission of COVID-19 as low as possible while balancing continuing restrictions in proportion with the positive social and economic benefits which will be brought about by businesses reopening. It is important to note that all decisions taken by Government on the timing of any lifting of restrictions as envisaged in Phases 2 to 5 of the Roadmap will be guided by the public health advice at the time.
On 15th May the Government announced that we would move to Phase 1 of the Roadmap from Monday May 18th. This is in line with advice received from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET). The categories of workers, list of retailers and other facilities that can reopen under Phase 1 are available on the Government’s website gov.ie.
A wide range of stakeholders including employers, unions and representative groups were consulted and their advice formed part of the considerations when drawing up the Roadmap. It is a living document and Government has the ability to amend its plans depending on the circumstances existing as we progress through each phase.
A key tool in implementing the Roadmap is the Return to Work Safely Protocol. This Protocol clearly and comprehensively sets out the steps and processes employers and workers must take to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 in the workplace. The Protocol is available at https://dbei.gov.ie/en/Publications/Return-to-Work-Safely-Protocol.html.
The protocol was developed and agreed in consultation with the members of the Labour Employer Economic Forum, the forum for high-level dialogue between the Government and union and employer representatives on labour market issues. Participants in this process included IBEC, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Chambers Ireland and the Construction Industry Federation.
The Health and Safety Authority, which is an agency of my Department, is the lead agency in overseeing compliance with the Protocol in the workplace. If employers or employees need further guidance on the Protocol, the HSA Helpline can be contacted at 1890 289 389 or wcu@hsa.ie.
Specific sectors may need to introduce additional safeguards but the Return to Work Safely Protocol sets the standard set of measures required in every workplace.
Since this crisis began, I have convened numerous meetings of the Enterprise Forum and the Retail Consultation Forum, which I chair. The Enterprise Forum enables me to meet with business representatives and our State agencies with a view to identifying solutions to key challenges faced by my Department, such as Brexit. The Retail Consultation Forum provides a platform for a structured engagement between the Retail Sector and relevant Government Departments/bodies. Its purpose is to allow key issues of relevance to the sector to be discussed, with a view to identifying practical actions which could be taken by Government, or by industry itself, to support the sector. I have also met with other representatives of employers and employees and the response has been very positive. I will continue to maintain that dialogue with stakeholders so that we can work towards getting people back to work safely.
The Government has put in place a comprehensive suite of supports for firms of all sizes, which includes the wage subsidy scheme, grants, low-cost loans, write-off of commercial rates and deferred tax liabilities. These supports are designed to assist businesses to address the challenges posed by COVID-19. The feedback I received from engagement with business and sectoral representatives since this crisis began enabled me to gain an insight into the difficulties faced by businesses. The supports are accordingly designed to build confidence, to further assist businesses in terms of the management of their companies and to allow them to begin looking to the future and start charting a path forward for weeks and months ahead. For a full list of supports for business please see https://dbei.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Supports-for-SMEs/COVID-19-supports/.
In April of this year, I opened applications for a new €2 million COVID-19 Online Retail Scheme to support indigenous Irish retailers to sustain their business through the crisis and into the future. It is one of two online trading schemes that has received additional funding to support firms in this difficult period.
On 8th May the Government agreed details of a further support which will give direct grant aid to micro and small businesses to help them with the costs associated with reopening and re-employing workers following COVID-19 closures. The Restart Grant is available to businesses with a turnover of less than €5m and employing 50 people or less, which were closed or impacted by at least a 25% reduction in turnover out to 30th June 2020. It is a contribution towards the cost of re-opening or keeping a business operational and re-connecting with employees and customers. The grant is equivalent to the rates bill of the business in 2019, with a minimum payment of €2,000 and a maximum payment of €10,000. If a company is currently in a rateable premises but was not rate-assessed in 2019 it is still eligible to apply. The local authority can pay the grant based on an estimate of what the rates demand for 2019 would have been.
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. All information including the application form is available on the appropriate local authority website, the details of which are at the following link: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/942f74-local-authorities/.
In addition to the range of business supports which are being administered by the agencies under the aegis of my Department, I am aware that sector specific actions are also being taken by my Ministerial colleagues. The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Mr Shane Ross T.D. and Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Mr Brendan Griffin T.D. announced on the 20th May the formation of a special Tourism Recovery Taskforce with an Independent Chair, dedicated to spearheading economic recovery for the tourism sector. Earlier, on 3rd April, a range of specific measures to support the artistic and cultural life of the nation at this difficult time, with a particular focus on wellbeing through personal and community creativity, was announced by the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Ms Josepha Madigan T.D.
I recognise the impact that this pandemic is having on businesses right across the country, I know that employers and employees want to get back to work and I support them in that ambition, but it must be safe to do so. My Department contributed to the considerations around the phased re-opening of sectors and I will work within Government to secure further details and clarity for businesses as we progress through the phases outlined in the Roadmap.
A wide range of stakeholders including employers, unions and representative groups were consulted and their advice formed part of the considerations when drawing up the Roadmap. It is a living document and Government has the ability to amends its plans depending on the circumstances existing as we progress through each phase. It will be subject to regular review in the context of the progression or suppression of the disease in Ireland or new guidance or research that emerges from other sources.
