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Covid-19 Pandemic

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 June 2020

Wednesday, 3 June 2020

Questions (468)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

468. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the discussions she has had to date with the events industry (details supplied); her plans for the sector to be represented through an organisation on task forces set up or being set up to spearhead the recovery; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9170/20]

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Written answers

I and my Department officials are continuously working and responding to business needs, ensuring sufficient and tangible supports are being put into place as quickly as possible to assist all our SMEs across the country.

Supporting the promotion and sustainability of our SMEs has always been a high priority of mine. The current crisis reminds us of the importance of this objective amid the challenging circumstances which have been thrust upon our small business sector by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In order to assist businesses to address the challenges posed by COVID-19, 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 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/Government-supports-to-COVID-19-impacted-businesses.html

In addition to this, my Department is currently operating a Business Support Call Centre to advise on the Government supports available to businesses and enterprises that are affected by COVID-19.  The number to contact is 01 631 2002.

With regard to your request for the establishment of a specific Task Force, please be assured that I and my Department have been engaging extensively across Government and with the representative bodies, the Enterprise and Retail Fora, the banking system, the European Commission and all other relevant stakeholders, with a view to ensuring an appropriate response to the COVID-19 pandemic that will protect and support Irish businesses. You will appreciate that longer-term policy measures to assist the recovery will be more appropriately addressed in the context of a new Programme for Government by the incoming Government, and the appointed Minister to this Department.

Other non-COVID supports for the festivals and events industry are available through Fáilte Ireland, which is under the remit of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. I understand that Fáilte Ireland has set up a COVID-19 Industry Advisory Group which meets weekly. The purpose of this group is to provide support to the tourism industry and to facilitate the timely sharing of information and insights to help improve the sector's understanding and response to the crisis.

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