Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 3 June 2021
219. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the extent to which he expects employment to increase and unemployment to decrease over the next three months given the urgency of economic recovery in the aftermath of Covid-19 and taking into account the aftermath of Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30420/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraWe want our economy to recover, and to restore employment as soon as possible. The Economic Recovery Plan published this week sets out the availability of supports over the coming months, which will give businesses the certainty they require in order to plan for the future and re-employ staff members. The overall ambition of the plan is to exceed pre-crisis employment levels by reaching 2.5 million people in work by 2024.
From the point of view of both supporting businesses and providing employment, the extension of the EWSS until 31 December 2021 is of most significance. The EWSS will be crucial for businesses as they re-open as it subsidises a portion of labour costs which gives businesses the opportunity to trade profitably even when operating under public health guidelines which may constrain demand.
The enhanced restart payment under the COVID-19 Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS) to support businesses in meeting the costs of reopening as they exit the scheme will support businesses to reopen and support people returning to work.
Extension of the CRSS to the end of the year, the new Business Resumption Scheme and phase 2 of the SBASC grant which sees the grant extended to those businesses without a rateable premises with the introduction of a smaller grant for those micro enterprises who are not eligible for SBASC, all reinforce the awareness that Government has of the needs of business and the importance of restoring employment as soon as possible.
Continued deferral of the €2.3 Billion in tax liabilities owing to the Exchequer and the fact that liabilities incurred for a short period after trading resumes can continue to be warehoused will provide additional liquidity and assurances for business that Government is doing everything it can to aid their survival and return them to profitability which will ultimately aid in restoring employment.
Over the longer term, the Government is committed to creating the right environment for a jobs-led recovery by helping business become more resilient and agile and supporting people to transition to new jobs in growing sectors of the economy. This will be achieved through a combination of upskilling and reskilling with substantially accelerated training and skills opportunities and investing in areas for long-term growth and increased activation capacity through Pathways to Work 2021-2025.
