Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 June 2020
417. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if she will amend the restart grant to allow golf and sport clubs that operate on a commercial basis and pay commercial rates to avail of the grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10770/20]
View answerThe Restart Grant support is just one part of the wider €12bn package of supports for commercial firms of all sizes, which includes grants, low-cost loans, write-off of commercial rates and deferred tax liabilities, all of which will help those businesses to continue trading and to maintain employment.
To avail of the Restart Grant, applicants must be a commercial business and be in the Local Authorities’ Commercial Rates Payment System, and:
- have a turnover of less than €5m and have 50 or less employees.
- have suffered a projected 25%+ loss in revenue from 1 April 2020 to 30th June 2020.
- commit to remain open or to reopen if it was closed.
- declare the intention to retain employees that are benefitting from the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS).
The primary objective, therefore, is to get funding into small businesses that:
- Are reliant solely on local trading income;
- Are financially independent from any group structure;
- Have suffered significant financial losses;
- Have had to bear ongoing fixed costs or faced costs associated with reopening the business
- Provide local paid employment.
In that context, sporting organisations are not eligible because they have sources of income other than commercial sales for example, membership fees.
The eligibility criteria will be subject to ongoing review and we will continue to consider issues as they arise.
