The government has announced the details of business supports being put in place to help those affected by the new restrictions over Christmas.
Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe confirmed today that the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme will remain at its original rates for the next two months.
As well as this, the Covid Restrictions Support Scheme will remain until the end of January for businesses that are forced to close.
The updated scheme will be aimed at businesses that qualify throughout December 2021 and January 2022.
Meanwhile, a commercial rates waiver for hospitality, tourism, and the live events industries will also be extended until March next year.
In order to qualify for the updated EWSS, you must also be able to demonstrate to the Revenue, that:
- your business will experience a 30% reduction in turnover, or customer orders, in the period from 1 January to 31 December 2021 for pay dates on, or between, 1 July 2021 and 30 April 2022
- this disruption to normal operations is caused by Covid-19
To qualify for the CRSS, each company’s:
- profits of the trade or trading activities of the business must be chargeable to tax under Case I of Schedule D
- business premises must be located wholly within a geographical region for which COVID-19 restrictions are in operation
- businesses must possess valid tax clearance to enter the CRSS and continue to maintain tax clearance for the duration of the scheme.
Speaking today, Minister Donohoe said he "fully appreciates the difficulty many businesses have been presented with in recent weeks given the evolving situation with Covid-19 and recent decisions taken regarding public health restrictions.
“I have decided to extend the enhanced rates of EWSS for the months of December and January to give certainty to businesses when they need it most.
“The Government and I have been clear that there will be no cliff edge to supports for employers but we have also been clear that the EWSS cannot run indefinitely, nor is it sustainable to continue with the enhanced rates for a prolonged period of time given the very substantial costs to the Exchequer.
"From February 1, 2022, the original two-rate structure of €203 per week and €151.50 per week will apply; for March and April 2022 the flat rate subsidy of €100 per week will apply and the scheme will end on 30 April 2022."
Sinn Féin spokesperson on Tourism, Media and Sport Imelda Munster this evening said this will come as “a relief to the hospitality sector.”
The Louth TD added that supports will have to be reviewed once again in January and be extended if existing restrictions remain in place beyond January.
Ms Munster said: “The sector has been calling for these changes for weeks now, and it’s high time that they received clarity on the supports that are available, given the impact that ongoing restrictions are having on their businesses and on workers in the sector.
“The effect of the pandemic on tourism and hospitality in the last two years almost has been absolutely devastating.
“We need to ensure that the EWSS and CRSS schemes can be tailored to the ongoing needs of the sector in 2022, in order to support businesses and workers to continue to need support.
“This has been a long slog for hospitality, and it may not be over yet. These businesses need to be supported for as long as restrictions are in place.”
