Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 October 2021
158. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Finance if the Covid restrictions support scheme, which provides for an advanced tax credit, will continue to operate during the remaining phases of reopening; the obligations enterprises carry in respect of these advances as their business gradually recover; and if any additional phasing is envisaged during the remaining stages of reopening and recovery. [47525/21]
View answerThe Covid Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS) is provided for in section 11 of the Finance Act 2020. To qualify under the scheme a business must, under specific terms of the Covid restrictions, be required to either prohibit or significantly restrict customers from accessing their business premises to acquire goods or services, with the result that the business either has to temporarily close or to operate at a significantly reduced level. A business must be able to demonstrate that, because of the Covid restrictions, the turnover of the relevant business activity during the period of restrictions will be no more than 25% of the average weekly turnover of the business in a reference period, which in most cases is 2019.
With the easing of Covid restrictions in recent months many businesses are no longer significantly restricted from operating and therefore are no longer eligible for the CRSS. However, eligible businesses have been able to claim enhanced restart week payments to assist them with the costs of reopening.
Where, under current public health restrictions, a business is restricted from operating, for example a nightclub, the business can, where it meets the relevant criteria, continue to claim under the CRSS until such time as it ceases to be restricted. At which time, the business can, where it meets the relevant criteria, claim an enhanced restart week payment computed at double the normal weekly CRSS rate, for three weeks, subject to a maximum weekly amount payable of €5,000.
Businesses that have ceased to qualify for CRSS, as well as businesses that were not eligible for CRSS, may be eligible to claim another support introduced by the Government, the Business Resumption Support Scheme (BRSS). The BRSS is a targeted support for companies, self-employed individuals, partnerships as well as certain charities and sporting bodies that carry on a trade that was significantly impacted by Covid-19 public health restrictions, including where the impact continued after the easing of the restrictions.
To qualify for the BRSS, a business must be able to demonstrate that the turnover from its trade in the period from 1 September 2020 to 31 August 2021 is no more than 25% of a ‘reference turnover amount’, which is based on when the business commenced. A qualifying person may, since early September, make a claim under BRSS for a single payment which will be equal to three times the average weekly turnover of the relevant business activity in a reference period, subject to a maximum payment under the scheme of €15,000.
Detailed operational guidelines on CRSS and BRSS are available on the Revenue website.
Finally, the Deputy will be aware that, on 15 September, the Dáil approved the draft Statutory Instrument to extend the CRSS to 31 December 2021. I can confirm that I have since signed the S.I. and the CRSS will run to 31 December 2021.
