Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 June 2020
294. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if she has considered making supports such as the business restart grant available for non-rate paying businesses such as bed and breakfasts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10250/20]
View answerApplication forms for the new €250m Restart Grant providing direct grant aid to micro and small businesses are now available online on all local authority websites. The grant is a contribution towards the cost of re-opening or keeping a business operational.
To qualify for the Restart Grant, a business must be in a rateable premises and;
- have a turnover of less than €5m and have 50 or less employees.
- have suffered a projected 25%+ loss in revenue from 1st April 2020 to 30th June 2020.
- commit to remain open or to reopen if it was closed. The business must also declare the intention to retain employees that are benefitting from the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS).
The Restart Grant support is just one part of the wider €12bn package of supports for firms of all sizes, which includes the wage subsidy scheme, the pandemic unemployment payment for the self-employed, grants, low-cost loans, write-off of commercial rates and deferred tax liabilities, all of which will help to improve cashflow amongst SMEs.
The eligibility criteria will be subject to ongoing review and we will continue to consider issues as they arise.
In relation to the reopening of bed and breakfasts, my colleagues the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Shane Ross and Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin TD, announced on 20th May the formation of a special Tourism Recovery Taskforce dedicated to spearheading economic recovery for the tourism sector, with an independent chairperson, Ruth Andrews, Chair of Irish Tourism Industry Confederation. The membership of the Taskforce includes the CEOs of Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland. The Taskforce is charged with preparing a Tourism Recovery Plan for submission to the Minister which will include a set of recommendations on how best the Irish tourism sector can adapt and recover in the changed tourism environment as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. The plan will identify priority aims, key enablers and market opportunities for the sector for the period 2020-2023. The Taskforce will consult with stakeholders to inform its deliberations and report back to the Minister.
Full details on all COVID19 supports for business are available at: https://dbei.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Supports-for-SMEs/COVID-19-supports/
