Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 March 2021
199. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the financial business supports available for a small wedding photography business such as in the case of a business (details supplied) that is closed due to Covid-19 restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15876/21]
View answerI am keenly aware that businesses are continuing to make massive sacrifices to protect their communities and I am committed to ensuring that the Government will offer as much assistance and support as possible. My Department has worked to ensure that appropriate supports are in place for businesses that require finance as they develop their response to their exposure to impacts arising from COVID-19. Details of all schemes can be found on my Departments website: Government supports for COVID-19 impacted businesses - DETE (enterprise.gov.ie)
The financial support the Government is providing businesses and workers affected by the pandemic is unprecedented. Almost a million people of working age are now in receipt of weekly payments including the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), Employment Wage Subsidy (EWSS) and Jobseekers Benefit or Allowance. Support for business includes the weekly CRSS payment for businesses forced to close their doors to the public, the Small Business Assistance Scheme for COVID (SBASC), reduced VAT rates, a commercial rates holiday, the Sustaining Enterprise Fund, the Tourism Business Continuity Scheme as well as low-cost loans.
Budget 2021 provided a significant package of tax and expenditure measures to build the resilience of the economy and to help vulnerable but viable businesses across all sectors. Details of the wide range of supports available are on my Department’s website.
These measures are in addition to the €7 billion July Stimulus of enterprise measures, which includes the Wage Subsidy Scheme extended through 2021, the Pandemic Unemployment Payment, grants, low-cost loans, write-off of commercial rates and deferred tax liabilities, all of which will help to improve cashflow amongst self-employed. We are providing for an extension of the tax warehousing scheme to include repayments of Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme funds owed by employers and preliminary tax obligations for adversely affected businesses.
As announced in the July Stimulus, the Enterprise Support Grant was extended to assist eligible self-employed, including sole traders, who exit the PUP or jobseekers schemes, to re-start their business. Further information is available at www.gov.ie.
On the 9th of December my colleague Minister Heather Humphreys T.D., Minister for Social Protection, announced the doubling of the PUP threshold from the current €480 over four weeks to €960 over an eight-week period effective immediately. This measure is to assist those who are trying to restart their businesses and will allow self-employed people to take on intermittent jobs without losing their entitlement to the PUP. The Department of Social Protection is also providing the Enterprise Support Grant, a once-off payment worth up to €1,000 per person is aimed at sole traders who do not pay commercial rates.
The three main schemes, the CRSS, EWSS and PUP compare favourably with any other packages on offer in other countries. The new Small Business Assistance Scheme for Covid I announced last month will provide funding of up to €8,000 for those businesses that are in receipt of a rates bill from their local authority or in a rateable premises. While the grant is modest, it will help smaller businesses in particular to cover these costs – rent, insurance, utilities, security.
I would urge business owners to seek the supports outlined above if they have not already done so. I would also suggest they contact their Local Enterprise Office who can signpost them and advise them of supports that may be available for their business.
