Wednesday, 28 Apr 2021

Written Answers Nos. 146-163

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Questions (146)

Claire Kerrane

Question:

146. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if there are plans for a second phase of funding under the small business assistance scheme for Covid-19 for businesses that missed the deadline for phase 1 having not been aware of the scheme; if there are other supports or grants available to business such as hairdressers that remain closed as they plan to prepare to open; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21881/21]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

The closing date for receipt of applications by Local Authorities for the first phase of the Small Business Assistance scheme for COVID (SBASC) has now passed.  This scheme is designed to support those businesses who are ineligible for CRSS and other sectoral schemes.

Please note that phase two of this scheme is due to be announced in the coming weeks.  Businesses who meet the criteria will be eligible to apply through their Local Authority.  Those who did not apply for phase one will be able to apply for phase two once they meet eligibility criteria.  It will not be possible to apply retrospectively for phase 1 if you have missed the deadline.

Further details of the second phase of this scheme will be available on my Department’s website and also through local authorities.

As you are aware, the Government has put in place a comprehensive package to help businesses and workers during the pandemic, including the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), the COVID-19 Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS), low-cost loans, the deferral and warehousing of tax liabilities and the waiver of commercial rates.

You will also know that 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.

You specifically refer to hairdressers.  Many hairdressers qualify for CRSS, administered by the Revenue Commissioners. I would urge businesses to be aware of the supports available to them.  The level of Government business supports is unprecedented.

I want to assure you, that I and my Government colleagues are keeping all the current business support schemes under review.

Irish Language

Questions (147, 148)

Holly Cairns

Question:

147. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the way in which his Department and agencies under his remit facilitate persons wishing to engage with their services through the Irish language; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21900/21]

Holly Cairns

Question:

148. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if all forms issued by his Department and agencies under his remit are available in both the Irish and English languages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21918/21]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment

I propose to take Questions Nos. 147 and 148 together.

My Department is fully committed to its 2019-2022 Irish Language Scheme, which was prepared in accordance with Section 15 of the Official Language Act 2003.  The Scheme sets out in detail the extent to which services are currently available through Irish in my Department and identifies areas for future enhancement.  The Scheme builds on the principles of Quality Customer Service and on the commitments in the Department’s Customer Charter and Customer Action Plan to ensure that customers who wish to conduct their business through Irish can do so either in writing, by telephone or in person.   

In order to facilitate a customer who wishes to conduct his/her business through Irish in accordance with the Official Languages Act 2003, my Department commits to:

- Reply in Irish where communication is received in Irish;

- Publish certain core Departmental documents simultaneously in Irish and English.

In order to ensure that my Department is accessible and capable of engaging with all customers proficiently, Irish Language Training is provided by the Learning and Development Unit of the Department through OneLearning, the Civil Service Learning and Development Centre. This training is being delivered to ensure that the Department has a cohort of staff who can assist business units to respond to clients who may wish to communicate through the medium of Irish. 

With regard to availability of forms in Irish, the existing commitments in the Department's Scheme include the publication simultaneously in Irish and English of documents setting out public policy proposals, audited accounts or financial statements, annual reports and strategy statements. In accordance with our Scheme, we take every opportunity in our day-to-day interactions with customers to promote the services we provide in Irish including making forms available bilingually and, where not available, engaging proactively with the customer to provide the services in Irish.  

Many of the Agencies and Offices have developed their own Customer Charters, Customer Action Plans and Language Schemes, where appropriate. Current projects across a number of Offices and Agencies will see more forms available bilingually in 2021.

My Department is committed to monitoring on an ongoing basis the level of demand for services to be provided in Irish and responding to those demands in a planned, coherent and accessible way.  

Departmental Contracts

Questions (149)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

149. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the cost of each contract entered into by his Department and the agencies under his remit to deal with the reaction and management of Covid-19; and the name of the contractor in each case. [22136/21]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Details of external contracts entered into by my Department and the agencies under its aegis in relation to the reaction to and the management of COVID-19 are set out in the table below.

Department/Agency	Purpose of Contract	Company Contracted	Value of Contract
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment	SME Business Supports Surveys	Behaviour and Attitudes	€29,776
National Standards Authority of Ireland	Review of NSAI COVID-19 Response Plan and Risk Assessments	Antaris Consulting	€16,250 total value   €1,950 spent to date
National Standards Authority of Ireland	Provision of training for NSAI COVID-19 Lead Worker Representatives	U-Safety	€1,300
National Standards Authority of Ireland	Provision of COVID-19 training for NSAI Staff First Aiders	Greenogue Business	€800
Health and Safety Authority	Consultancy services relating to a Regulatory Impact Analysis to identify and assess a range of possible options to ensure the availability of comprehensive and immediate data to support the protection of workers from COVID-19. This exercise is ongoing.	KPMG	€27,225 to date

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Questions (150)

Jim O'Callaghan

Question:

150. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of the operation of the small business assistance scheme for Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22193/21]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

As you know, the Government has put in place a comprehensive package to help businesses and workers during the pandemic, including the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), the COVID-19 Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS), Small Business Assistance Scheme for COVID (SBASC), low-cost loans, the deferral and warehousing of tax liabilities and the waiver of commercial rates.

The Small Business Assistance scheme for COVID (SBASC), which is a scheme designed to support those businesses who are ineligible for CRSS and other sectoral schemes, opened for applications on 11th March.  This scheme has closed for applications on 21 April 2021.  My officials are in the process of undertaking a brief review of the scheme, and details of phase two of this scheme are due to be announced in the coming weeks.  

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Questions (151)

Jim O'Callaghan

Question:

151. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of the operation of the sustaining enterprise fund; the number of jobs it has protected during the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22194/21]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

My Department, through Enterprise Ireland (EI), is helping Irish businesses to rebuild after the impact of Covid-19.  EI administers the Sustaining Enterprise Fund whose objectives include:

- Ensure eligible companies have access to the necessary liquidity

- Sustain business so that companies can return to viability and contribute to the recovery of the Irish economy.

- Ensure eligible companies can accelerate their recovery

- Provide funding needed to stabilise cashflow, adapt operations and innovate for new customer needs.

Enterprise Ireland is currently processing the 2020 applications received under the Sustaining Enterprise Fund. Approvals made to date, totalling €172,100,500, have helped to sustain 635 companies protecting 26,604 jobs.

Companies across all sectors operating in manufacturing and internationally traded service activities received and are receiving financial assistance under the Sustaining Enterprise Fund (SEF) including engineering, Life Sciences and construction, food and ICT and international services. This includes companies in particularly impacted sectors, including those engaged in food services (food delivery services, bakers, etc.), international education services, travel-tech and consumer-retail. 

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Questions (152)

Jim O'Callaghan

Question:

152. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of the operation of the COVID-19 credit guarantee scheme; the number of businesses that have availed of the scheme to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22195/21]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

The COVID-19 Credit Guarantee Scheme is the largest loan guarantee scheme in the history of the State.   The Scheme provides €2 billion in lending, for terms up to five-and-a-half years and offers a range of lending products between €10,000 and €1 million at interest rates below market rates for similar type loans.  It is available to SMEs and small mid-caps (business with less than 500 employees), including primary producers (businesses engaged in the farming and seafood sectors).  The Scheme is available until 31 December 2021 following a Government decision in March to extend it in line with the extension of the European Commission’s Temporary Framework on State Aid.

There have been 4,280 loans drawn for a value of €264.6 million under the Scheme up to 15 April (latest data available from participating lenders). These loans are being drawn from all over the country.  This scheme is providing vital access to lending facilities for a wide range of sectors.  Businesses which have been most impacted by the effects of the virus are utilising the Scheme.  The wholesale and retail sector accounted for twenty percent of loans drawn, the accommodation and food services sector accounted for fourteen percent of loans drawn, and the primary agriculture and fisheries sector accounted for twelve percent of loans drawn by value, demonstrating that funding is getting to where it is most needed.

In order to provide the public with relevant data on the performance of the scheme, my Department publishes weekly and monthly reports on its website.  These reports provide data on loans drawn under a wide variety of themes and are available at https://enterprise.gov.ie/en/Publications/COVID-19-Credit-Guarantee-Scheme-Performance-Reports.html

These loans have helped maintain jobs across the economy during this very difficult time for business, with 22,951 jobs maintained up to the end of March with a potential of an increase of 3,488 jobs.

The Scheme is currently available through three commercial banks, four non-bank lenders and nineteen credit unions.  This long-term policy goal of diversification adds competition in the market and ensures a wide range of loan products are available throughout the regions.

I would strongly encourage businesses to avail of the low-cost lending facilities provided under the scheme as they look towards reopening.

Trading Online Voucher Scheme

Questions (153)

Jim O'Callaghan

Question:

153. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of the operation of the trading online voucher scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22197/21]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment

The Trading Online Voucher Scheme was originally launched in 2014 by the then Department of Communications, Energy & Natural Resources as part of the National Digital Strategy and was designed to encourage and support small and micro-businesses in Ireland to trade online.

In January of this year the policy, budget and operational responsibility for the scheme was transferred into my Department from the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications under  sanction from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on the basis of a 50% own contribution by voucher recipients.   The period allowed for the completion and drawdown of funds  remains at 6 months.   Previous voucher recipients may continue to apply for a second voucher where upgrades are required.   Information and training seminars are available to prospective applicants to support them in their application process and it is a condition of applying for a voucher that an applicant attends one of the seminars in advance.  At each seminar, attendees are informed of the purpose of the scheme and how best to use and get value from the application of the voucher.

I am pleased to note that the scheme remains a popular support for Micro-Enterprises that wish to develop their e-commerce presence at this time with almost 1,600 applications to date this year.  

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Questions (154)

Jim O'Callaghan

Question:

154. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the status of the operation of the business continuity voucher scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22198/21]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

The Local Enterprise Offices’ Business Continuity Voucher scheme was introduced in March 2020 as a scheme to provide expert guidance and advice to SMEs employing up 50 people and to enable business owners make informed decisions about what immediate measures and remedial actions could be taken at the outset of COVID pandemic, to protect staff and sales and eventually help the business recover.  The vouchers were used by companies and sole traders to develop short and medium-term strategies to respond to the initial COVID-19 pandemic and to plan for eventual recovery and reopening of the economy as envisaged at that time.

The BCV scheme received almost 15,000 applications of which over 12,000 were approved. The Business Continuity Voucher scheme was closed to new applications on the 15th of May 2020 following the introduction of subsequent Government supports. 

Departmental Expenditure

Questions (155)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

155. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the amount spent by his Department on public relations advice and media advice since January 2020 to date in 2021; and the companies engaged for this advice in tabular form. [22271/21]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment

My Department has not incurred any costs for public relations nor media advice since January 2020 to date, and consequently has not engaged any third-party companies to provide same.

Departmental Expenditure

Questions (156)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

156. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the amount spent by his Department on advertising and public messaging in print, broadcast and online since January 2020 to date in 2021; and the companies engaged to assist with placing the advertisements and the companies advertised with in tabular form. [22289/21]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Details of costs incurred by my Department from January 2020 to date in 2021 on advertising and public messaging in print, broadcast and online, and the companies engaged to assist with placing the advertisements and the companies advertised with are set out in the attached table.

Table

Departmental Schemes

Questions (157)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

157. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if the timeframe for a scheme (details supplied) will be extended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22322/21]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

As you know, the Government has put in place a comprehensive package to help businesses and workers during the pandemic, including the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), the COVID-19 Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS), Small Business Assistance Scheme for COVID (SBASC), low-cost loans, the deferral and warehousing of tax liabilities and the waiver of commercial rates. 

In relation to the Small Business Assistance scheme for COVID (SBASC), which is a scheme designed to support those businesses who are ineligible for CRSS and other sectoral schemes, this scheme has closed for applications on 21 April 2021 and we are not in a position to extend that deadline.  My officials are in the process of undertaking a brief review of the scheme, and details of phase two of this scheme are due to be announced in the coming weeks.  Business owners will then be able to make an application.

Departmental Transport

Questions (158)

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

158. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the estimated cost of replacing State vehicles which are owned by his Department or agencies under his remit with hybrid or electric models; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22563/21]

Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment

The Department and its Offices, which include the Companies Registrations Office, the Intellectual Property Office of Ireland, the Labour Court, the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement and the Workplace Relations Commission do not own or lease any vehicles. 

The day-to-day operations of the Agencies are a matter for the relevant Board and senior management team and such operations do not fall within my Ministerial remit.

Legislative Measures

Questions (159, 177)

Cathal Crowe

Question:

159. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the details of policy papers or legislation he plans to introduce to ban the use of fracked gas sourced domestically and internationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21174/21]

Violet-Anne Wynne

Question:

177. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will address the lack of inclusion of a ban on fracked gas in the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21693/21]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications

I propose to take Questions Nos. 159 and 177 together. The Programme for Government sets out that the Government does not support the importation of fracked gas and commits to developing a policy statement to establish that approach.

My Department is in the process of developing the policy statement, which includes the consideration of any necessary legal and regulatory provisions. This includes detailed examination of the European energy and environmental frameworks, in which our national laws operate, to ensure the policy statement will be legally robust. In this regard my Department is actively engaged with the Office of the Attorney General to conclude the matter as a priority. It would be premature to consider specific legislative provisions in advance of this.

I intend to bring the policy statement to Government for approval as soon as the necessary work outlined above is concluded.  The policy statement will be published once approved.

Energy Data

Questions (160, 161)

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

160. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the recent analysis of Ireland’s energy security that has been undertaken; the way in which he is assessing projected demand and supply in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21221/21]

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

161. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the status of the tender to commission a review of the security of energy supply of Ireland’s electricity and natural gas systems; the timeline and scope of this review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21222/21]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications

I propose to take Questions Nos. 160 and 161 together.

My Department works closely with the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, EirGrid and Gas Networks Ireland to ensure continued secure supplies of electricity and natural gas. In their respective roles as transmission system operators for electricity and natural gas, EirGrid and Gas Networks Ireland publish projections of demand and supply for the coming decade. These projections, which are published on their websites, take into account Government policies and commitments to decarbonisation.

My Department is also carrying out a review of the security of energy supply of Ireland’s electricity and natural gas systems which is focusing on the period to 2030 in the context of ensuring a sustainable pathway to 2050. The review includes a technical analysis and public consultation.

Consultants have been appointed to undertake the technical analysis which will include identification and examination of the key risks to the security of supply in the electricity and natural gas systems; identification of options that could address or mitigate these risks in the period to 2030; and appraisal of these options in the context of ensuring a sustainable pathway to 2050.

Following the completion and publication of the technical analysis, a public consultation will be carried out. This will provide all stakeholders and the public an opportunity to input into the review. It is intended the review will be completed by the end of 2021.

National Broadband Plan

Questions (162)

David Cullinane

Question:

162. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if a premises (details supplied) and the whole community will be included in the National Broadband Plan; if not, the reason; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21248/21]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications

The High Speed Broadband Map, which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie, shows the areas which will be included in the National Broadband Plan (NBP) State led intervention as well as areas targeted by commercial operators. The map is colour coded and searchable by address and Eircode. Premises in the AMBER area will be provided with high speed broadband through the State led Intervention, the contract for which was signed in November last with National Broadband Ireland (NBI).

The BLUE area represents those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver high speed broadband services.

My Department defines high speed broadband as a connection with minimum speeds of 30Mbps download and 6Mbps upload. The activities of commercial operators delivering high speed broadband within BLUE areas are not planned or funded by the State and my Department has no statutory authority to intervene in that regard.

The premises referred to in the Question is located in the BLUE area on the NBP High Speed Broadband Map which is available on my Department's website at www.broadband.gov.ie . The activities of commercial operators delivering high speed broadband within BLUE areas are not planned or funded by the State and my Department has no statutory authority to intervene in that regard.

Complaints about service provision are a matter between the consumer and the service provider in the first instance. If this avenue has been exhausted without a satisfactory resolution, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) may be able to assist further. ComReg is the independent body that issues licences to broadband service providers and investigates complaints to make sure that companies are delivering services in line with their licence obligations.

In the event that, having exhausted the above options, a premises located in the BLUE area still cannot get high speed broadband from service providers in the area, they should contact my Department at [e-mail] with full details and the matter will be investigated by my officials. The NBP High Speed Broadband Map is dynamic. This means that the intervention area can be updated to reflect new commercial plans, or previous plans that have failed to materialise. This flexibility allows for an increase or decrease in the number of premises included in the State Intervention area. Any changes to the map are subject to a formal review process. This is to ensure that the State is compliant with State Aid rules and the State aid approval which enabled the contract to be awarded under the National Broadband Plan. 

With regard to the wider area being brought into the NBP, I understand from my Department that adjoining townlands including  Ballynamona Upper, Barranastook, Gates, Loskeran and Moanfoun have a mixture of premises located in the Intervention Area and of premises located in the Blue area. The premises in the BLUE area are receiving high speed broadband from their service providers or their service providers have plans to deliver a service to the areas.  The remaining premises located in the Intervention area will be provided with high speed broadband through the NBP ensuring that no premises is left behind.

Departmental Funding

Questions (163)

Holly Cairns

Question:

163. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his views on providing funding to households with adults who require nappies to assist with additional waste charges due to the weighing of household waste; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21283/21]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications

I refer to the reply to Question [20037/21] of 21 April 2021. The position is unchanged.