Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 3 December 2020
37. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications that have been received for the new €1,000 enterprise support grant for the self-employed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29608/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra38. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of self-employed persons who have benefited from the enterprise support grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39965/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra58. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection if the enterprise support grant will be amended to enable self-employed persons who have signed back onto the pandemic unemployment payment and are still working on a reduced scale to qualify for the grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39902/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 37, 38 and 58 together.
The Enterprise Support Grant (ESG) is available to eligible self-employed recipients who close their Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) and re-start their business. A once-off grant of up to €1,000 is available under this measure. Any self-employed individual who is in receipt of the PUP and engaging in reduced levels of self-employment such that they are availing of the €480 earnings threshold should keep a record of the costs associated with reopening their business and include these in their ESG application upon closing their PUP at a future point. The grant will remain open in 2021 to ensure that the support remains available to these individuals. Approximately 7,400 ESG applications have been approved since the introduction of this grant, with funding of approximately €7m already paid. A budget of €12m is provided for the grant in 2020, with an additional €12m available for 2021. The extension of the grant to 2021 ensures support will remain available to qualified self-employed individuals who close their PUP as restrictions are eased. Detailed information about this grant including qualifying conditions is available at www.gov.ie/dsp. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputies.
