Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch collates information on the responses of government and social partners to the COVID-19 crisis, the war in Ukraine, rising inflation, as well as gathering examples of company practices aimed at mitigating the social and economic impacts.
Factsheet for measure IE-2020-38/1155 – measures in Ireland
Country | Ireland , applies nationwide |
Time period | Open ended, started on 14 September 2020 |
Context | COVID-19 |
Type | Other initiatives or policies |
Category |
Supporting businesses to stay afloat
– Direct subsidies (full or partial) or damage compensation |
Author | Roisin Farelly (IRN Publishing) and Eurofound |
Measure added | 18 September 2020 (updated 11 January 2021) |
Funding for micro-enterprises which have not been eligible for other COVID-19 support grants. The total fund is €2 million and grants are up to €1,000, so about 2,000 businesses are to benefit. The launch event for the scheme to place in County Kildare, which was subject to a localised increase in public health restrictions during August - although the scheme is available nationally.
Grants of up to €1,000 available to micro-enterprises (defined as those with at least one and up to 10 full-time employees), which have been impacted by a 30% reduction in turnover due to COVID-19 restrictions or downturn in trade.
The grant is based on the amount of additional vouched expenditure from September 14th, 2020 and is confined to those with a commercial focus, with an up to date tax compliance certificate and within eligible sector (exclude gambling, coal and steel etc). They must be businesses which are not eligible for other state sectoral funding schemes.
The total fund is €2 million, so it is expected that about 2,000 businesses will benefit.
According to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: 425 applications were received. As of 31 December 2020, 195 were approved with a total value of €183,079.
Workers | Businesses | Citizens |
---|---|---|
Does not apply to workers |
One person or microenterprises
|
Does not apply to citizens |
Actors | Funding |
---|---|
National government
|
National funds
|
Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:
Trade unions | Employers' organisations | |
---|---|---|
Role | No involvement | No involvement |
Form | Not applicable | Not applicable |
Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:
Social partners not involved - the fund is a national government initiative.
No views recorded or expressed.
Citation
Eurofound (2020), New assistance fund to support microenterprises, measure IE-2020-38/1155 (measures in Ireland), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/IE-2020-38_1155.html
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