Fine Gael TD for Sligo, Leitrim, South Donegal and North Roscommon Frank Feighan has said that the ‘Enterprise Support Grant’ is now available to assist self-employed recipients who are exiting the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) scheme with a once-off grant of up to €1,000 to re-start their business.
This follows on from the Government’s ‘Business Restart Grant’ for rateable businesses in May.
Deputy Feighan stated that “the Enterprise Support Grant will be made available to assist self-employed recipients who are exiting the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) scheme. This will provide owners with a once-off grant of up to €1,000 to re-start their business. A fund of €12m has been allocated for the extension of this grant.
“The grant will be payable to self-employed micro enterprises which employ fewer than 10 people, have an annual turnover of less than €1 million and are not eligible for support from the COVID 19 Business Restart Grant or other similar business reopening grants.
He said that “Since the Government announced the ‘Restart Grant’ for rate paying businesses I have been lobbying the Minister hard to ensure that businesses that did not pay rates, but who still needed State assistance with re-opening would be incorporated into a grant assistance scheme of some sort.
“Fine Gael want to get Ireland back working again. In many cases, this means tackling the roadblocks and obstacles which stop an otherwise viable business from getting back up and running or simply giving them a helping hand. It is crucial that we approach this task in an innovative and flexible manner and this is what underpins today’s announcement.
“Some small self-employed businesses may face difficulties in transitioning from the Pandemic Unemployment Payment to a reliance on normal trading income once again, particularly in situations where normal trading conditions have not fully resumed. This is why I am glad to see that the extension of the grant to eligible recipients of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment will provide businesses with a once-off payment of up to €1,000 to help them achieve this”.
