Seán Sherlock
Ceist:539. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if a reply will issue to a query by a person (details supplied). [5656/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 20 May 2020
Ceisteanna (539)
Freagraí scríofa
A major part of my Department’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been to expand the range of financial supports to ensure businesses have sufficient liquidity to see them through the crisis and to prepare for the announced reopening phases. My Department and I continue to monitor the needs of companies as the situation evolves and provide new supports where required and appropriate to do so.
Included in the now €7.5 billion of liquidity supports which I announced over the past few weeks, is a Sustaining Enterprise Fund for Small Enterprises which is being administered by Enterprise Ireland. This fund for smaller businesses provides €25,000 and €50,000 in repayable advances, depending on size and turnover of company. This fund will provide liquidity to enable these enterprises to steer a pathway towards recovery and to introduce measures in response to the controls and health and safety requirements in line with changing work patterns and protocols and guidelines being introduced as we begin the re-opening of the economy.
On 15 May last, the Government also agreed the arrangements for the new €250m “Restart Grant” for micro enterprises and small businesses. The "Restart Grant" is a contribution towards the cost of re-opening or keeping a business operational and re-connecting with employees and customers. It will be a critically important tool to support small businesses to reopen their doors and get back on their feet. This grant will enable small and micro business reconnect with their employees and customer base by helping to defray ongoing fixed costs and the costs, such as PPE, associated with re-launching the business.
The grants will be equivalent to the rates bill of the business in 2019, with a minimum payment of €2,000 and a maximum payment of €10,000. Applications for the "Restart Grant" can be made online to all local authorities from Friday 22 May.
In addition to the extensive package of liquidity measures announced, the full range of Enterprise Ireland, IDA, Local Enterprise Office (LEO) and Údarás na Gaeltachta grant and advisory supports continue to be available to eligible firms to help with strategies to access finance, commence or ramp-up online trading activity, reconfigure business models, cut costs, innovate, diversify markets and supply chains and to improve competitiveness.
In line with its statutory responsibility to enforce specific consumer protection legislative provisions, officers from the CCPC have been monitoring pricing compliance in both online and on-premises retail markets within three areas:
1. Trader obligations under S.I. No. 639 of 2002, European Communities (Requirements to Indicate Product Prices) Regulations.
2. Trader obligations under S.I. No. 484 of 2013 European Union (Consumer Information, Cancellation and Other Rights) Regulations.
3. Trader obligations under The Consumer Protection Act 2007.
The provisions outlined above are primarily concerned with ensuring that products are properly priced in accordance with the regulations and that consumers are not being misled by being charged more for a product than the advertised price.
In the course of our monitoring activities we have conducted 110 store visits and 730 spot price checks on a range of consumer products. Our information to date would indicate that compliance levels with the obligations referred to above are currently not a cause for concern. Monitoring activities in that respect will continue.
With respect to emerging trends, the number of contacts received by the CCPC from the general public relating to concerns about price increases and product availability have been very low.
I can assure the Deputy that I continue to work with my colleagues across Government and all stakeholders to examine further appropriate supports to assist businesses impacted by Covid-19. In that regard, Government will continue to explore funding potential for all enterprises as they work through the challenges facing them, including through any mechanisms allowable under the EU’s state aid framework.