Paul Donnelly
Question:189. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the provisions in place to fund charity shops that are closed under level 5 restrictions. [15514/21]
View answerWednesday, 24 March 2021
Questions (189)
Written answers
I am acutely aware of the difficulties that these necessary ongoing Covid-19 restrictions are putting on all businesses right across the country. I know that Charities and charity shops are also struggling during these restrictions. Individuals and businesses are making sacrifices in order to protect their communities.
With that in mind, I recently announced the new Small Business Assistance Scheme for COVID. This scheme is now open for applications through Local Authorities and will provide a €4,000 grant for businesses for the first quarter of this year. Closing date for Local Authorities to receive applications is 21st April, 2021. A decision on the second quarter of this year will be made in due course.
Charity shops may be eligible for this grant if the criteria for the scheme are applicable to them.
The Scheme is open to companies, self-employed, sole traders or partnerships, with a minimum turnover of €50,000 and are not owned and operated by a public body. The Scheme is open to firms that currently employ less than 250 and with current turnover of less than €25m.
Businesses down 75% or more in turnover among those expected to benefit the scheme. The scheme is available to businesses not eligible for CRSS, the Fáilte Ireland Business Continuity Scheme, or the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media’s Live Performance Support.
The business must operate from a building, or similar fixed physical structure on which business rates are payable (mobile premises, or premises which are not permanently fixed in place, do not meet the definition of business premises nor do premises on which no rates are payable).
The turnover of the business over the claim period is estimated to be no more than 25% of the average weekly turnover of the business in 2019; or the projected average weekly turnover of the business for 1 January to 31 March 2021, for businesses that commenced after 1 November 2020.
You should be aware that the Government also introduced a comprehensive package to help businesses and workers during the pandemic, including the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), low-cost loans, the deferral and warehousing of tax liabilities and the waiver of commercial rates.
I would urge business owners including charity shops to seek the supports outlined above if they have not already done so. I would also suggest that you should contact the Department of Rural and Community Development who have developed a scheme who the charity sector.
Full details of the wide range of COVID-19 schemes are available on my Department’s website at https://enterprise.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Supports-for-SMEs/COVID-19-supports/.
I want to assure you that I and my colleagues across Government will continue to keep the range of measures under review.