Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 May 2021
160. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if restart grants will be provided to assist SMEs reopen after Covid-19 restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25567/21]
View answerA significant package of tax and expenditure measures to build the resilience of the economy and to help vulnerable but viable businesses across all sectors was introduced in Budget 2021. The measures include the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), now extended until the 30th of June, the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), the COVID-19 Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS), and the Small Business Assistance Scheme for COVID (SBASC), low-cost loans, the deferral and warehousing of tax liabilities and the waiver of commercial rates.
The CRSS has provided vital support to businesses that have been forced to close or restrict access to their premises on foot of public health regulations. As we start to reopen the economy, the Government has agreed to the extension of the CRSS until 30th of June 2021. Any business currently availing of CRSS and that can now reopen as restrictions are eased will be able to avail of double restart week payments for two weeks subject to the statutory maximum of €5,000 per week to support them in meeting the costs of reopening as they exit the scheme
The Government are committed that there will be no cliff-edge end to the economic supports at the end of June. Government recognises that re-opening will be costly and will pose new challenges that will need to be sustained by continued supports and corrective measures to get the balance right between supporting recovery and cost to the Exchequer and plans for this are currently in development.
