Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 October 2022
241. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Finance if multinational corporations including those with global revenue above €750 million will be eligible for the maximum €10,000 energy grant; if multiple subsidiaries of the same company can each make applications for the energy grant up to the maximum of €10,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52696/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra255. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Finance the way that farmers are to be included in the temporary business energy support scheme; when they can expect to benefit from the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53149/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 241 and 255 together.
Details of the new Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (TBESS) are set out in Finance Bill 2022. The scheme will provide support to qualifying businesses in respect of energy costs relating to the period from 1 September 2022 to 31 December 2022 or, where it is possible to grant State aid beyond that date under the European Commission’s Temporary Crisis Framework (TCF), to 28 February 2023. The TBESS will be available to tax compliant businesses carrying on a trade or profession the profits of which are chargeable to tax under Case I or Case II of Schedule D where they meet the eligibility criteria. The scheme will be operated on a self-assessment basis.
Farmers will be eligible for payments under the TBESS in the same way as any other business that is carrying on a trade which is taxable under Case I of Schedule D where they meet all eligibility criteria. A person engaged in a trade of farming who has suffered an increase of at least 50% in the average unit price of electricity and/or natural gas for the relevant billing period in 2022, as compared with the average unit price for electricity and/or gas for the corresponding reference period in 2021, will be eligible under the scheme.
Payments will be made on the basis of 40% of the amount of the increase in eligible electricity or natural gas costs between the bill amount which is the subject of the claim and the bill amount in the corresponding reference period in the previous year. Payments are generally subject to a monthly cap of €10,000 per trade, increasing to a maximum of €30,000 in certain circumstances.
In line with the TCF, there is also an overall cap on the amount that an undertaking can claim. The cap that currently applies in relation to farmers is €62,000.
If any amount charged on an energy bill for a claim period is not expended wholly and exclusively for the purpose of the farming trade, then this amount must be deducted from the relevant energy bill amount for the claim period for the purpose of calculating the eligible cost. This could be the case where, for example, a single electricity connection supplies both the farm and a domestic dwelling.
Claims must be made through the Revenue Online Service (ROS). Subject to receiving State aid approval it is expected that the TBESS system will go live by end-November, enabling businesses to register for and claim under the scheme.
Revenue will soon publish comprehensive guidelines on the operation of the scheme on the Revenue website, which will include information on eligibility for the scheme and how claims may be made.
