Coronavirus: Next steps for businesses and details on financial supports

Editor’s note: This article has been updated following government announcements on easing of lockdown restrictions and the new Economic Recovery Plan.

As Ireland’s coronavirus vaccine programme continues its rollout across the country, the government is taking a cautious approach to reopening the economy.

At the end of May 2021, the government announced a further update to its revised plan for a phased reopening: COVID-19 Resilience and Recovery 2021: The Path Ahead.

And at the start of June, it unveiled its Economic Recovery Plan.

This article will explain the timeline proposed under the revised plan, what it means for your business and what financial supports are available.

Here’s what it covers:

Reopening timeline

Financial supports and how to access them

• Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme
• Pandemic Unemployment Payment
• COVID-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit
• COVID-19 Restrictions Support Scheme
• Small Business Assistance Scheme for COVID
• Strategic Tourism Transport Business Continuity Scheme
• Sustaining Enterprise Fund
• Pandemic Stabilisation and Recovery Fund
• COVID-19 SBCI Working Capital Loan Scheme
• Future Growth Loan Scheme

Further financial supports

Reopening timeline

As lockdown restrictions continue to ease across Ireland, May saw the gradual reopening of businesses and people returning to work.

Construction work was allowed to restart, while retailers began to open in a phased approach.

Meanwhile, we saw barbers, hairdressers and beauticians reopening their businesses.

Here’s what the timeline for the reopening of the country looks like for the coming weeks and months for businesses. All stages are subject to the coronavirus situation at the time.

2 June

• Hotels, hostels, self-catering and bed and breakfasts can reopen. However, services (covering food and drink) can only be used by overnight guests and residents.

7 June

• Restaurants and bars can offer services outdoors.
• Cinemas and theatres are allowed to reopen.
• Sporting facilities such as leisure centres, gyms and swimming opens can open again – however, this is for individual training.
• Outdoor sports matches can resume.
• Fans are allowed to start returning to sporting and music events, including as part of a series of pilots throughout June and July.

5 July

• Restaurants, cafes, bars and pubs can serve customers inside the premises from this point (in addition to doing so outside)
• Fitness businesses (such as gyms and dance studios) can start offering indoor training for groups of up to six.
• Indoor attractions such as arcades, roller skating rinks, ice rinks and bowling alleys can open, as can kids play areas and waterparks.

19 July

• International travel will resume – the Irish government will use the EU Digital Covid Certificate and it will apply from travel within the European Union/European Economic Area.

Financial supports and how to access them

Many financial supports for businesses remain in place and some schemes have been extended as part of the government’s Economic Recovery Plan, which was unveiled on 1 June 2021.

Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme

This scheme, which replaced the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme in August 2020, supports employers whose businesses have been adversely affected by pandemic restrictions.

The initial two-tier payments were revised to four tiers in Budget 2021 and came into effect from 20 October 2020.

The revised rates (which will continue in June and throughout July, August and September) are based on employee’s previous earnings as follows:

• Earnings from €151.50 to €202.99 receive €203
• Earnings from €203 to €299.99 receive €250
• Earnings from €300 to €399.99 receive €300
• Earnings from €400 to €1,462 receive €350.

Earnings under €151.50 and over €1,462 do not qualify.

Businesses must have a valid tax clearance certificate and have experienced a reduction of at least 30% in turnover due to the pandemic.

The scheme, which was previously extended to 30 June 2021, has been further extended to 31 December 2021.

Pandemic Unemployment Payment

This weekly payment is for employees and self-employed people who have lost their income due to the pandemic. If you’re self-employed or a freelance contractor, you can earn up to €960 over eight weeks without losing your payment.

Rates are linked to previous earnings in 2018 or 2019 as follows:

• Those with weekly earnings under €200 receive €203
• Those with weekly earnings from €200 to €299.99 receive €250
• Those with weekly earnings from €300 to €399.99 receive €300
• Those with weekly earnings of €400 or more receive €350.

This scheme has been extended beyond 30 June 2021 for existing claimants. However, it will be closed to new claimants on 1 July 2021.

The current rates of support will remain in place until 7 September 2021. From this point, the rates will reduce gradually by €50 a week.

There are also plans for further changes on 16 November 2021 and 8 February 2022.

COVID-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit

This payment is for those who cannot work due to a coronavirus diagnosis or who must restrict their movements because they are deemed a close contact of a diagnosed person.

The enhanced weekly payment is €350 instead of the usual Illness Benefit rate of €203. It will be paid for two weeks for contact cases and up to 10 weeks for applicants with a coronavirus diagnosis.

To apply online you will need a MyGovID account. You can include your medical certificate with your application, or your doctor can submit a medical certificate directly.

COVID-19 Restrictions Support Scheme

The COVID Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS) introduced in October 2020 to replace the Restart Grant Plus scheme assists companies that were forced to close or had significantly reduced trade due to the coronavirus pandemic restrictions of Level 3 or higher.

Eligible businesses receive a weekly payment in the form of an advanced tax credit against trading expenses.

According to the Economic Recovery Plan, with businesses able to start reopening and exit the scheme, “an enhanced restart payment of three weeks at double the rate of payment” will be available. This will help businesses to meet their reopening costs.

Businesses can receive a maximum of €30,000 (the restart payment has been increased to €10,000 a week).

The CRSS was set to run until 30 June 2021 but has been extended to 31 December 2021. For more details and how to claim under the scheme, visit the relevant section on the Revenue website.

Small Business Assistance Scheme for COVID

This scheme was introduced on 11 March 2021 for small companies that are ineligible for the CRSS and other sector-specific funding, including Fáilte Ireland’s Business Continuity Scheme.

As part of Economic Recovery Plan, eligibility for this scheme has been extended to support more businesses.

Businesses with a minimum turnover of €50,000 can get a €4,000 grant. Meanwhile, those businesses with a turnover between €20,000 and €49,999 are able to receive a grant of €1,000.

Check the Revenue website for further details on eligibility, how to apply and end dates for the scheme.

Strategic Tourism Transport Business Continuity Scheme

This scheme for eligible tourism transport operators opened on 8 April 2021.

Existing tourism transport operators such as tourist vehicle rental companies, chauffeur and limousine businesses and escorted tour providers must have had a minimum turnover of €50,000 in 2019 and experienced at least 75% downturn in turnover between January and March 2021 when compared with the same period in 2019.

Grant amounts are based on 10% of eligible turnover in 2019 and capped at €800,000 across associated schemes. To submit an application under this scheme, you must sign up for a Fáilte Ireland Trade Portal Account.

Sustaining Enterprise Fund

This Enterprise Ireland scheme has two funding options available.

The first is an extension of the support for companies with 10 or more employees engaged in manufacturing and internationally traded services that have experienced at least a 15% reduction in actual or projected turnover.

Supports of between €100,000 and €800,000 are available with up to 50% of a funding package as a non-repayable grant (capped at €200,000).

The second part of the funding provides €25,000 to €50,000 of repayable and non-repayable short-term working capital for small enterprises for a three to six -month period to support continuity and sustainability.

Companies involved in the coal or steel sector or primary agricultural, fishery or aquaculture sectors are ineligible for this scheme.

To find out more about the funding and how you can access it contact your development adviser at Enterprise Ireland or the COVID-19 Business Response Unit.

You will be required to submit a Business Sustainment Plan as part of your funding application.

Pandemic Stabilisation and Recovery Fund

This €2bn scheme operated by the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) is aimed at medium and large companies. Priority is given to enterprises that employ more than 250 employees or have an annual turnover of €50m or more.

Businesses must have been viable and profitable in 2019, and all sectors will be considered.

To find out more, visit the ISIF website.

COVID-19 SBCI Working Capital Loan Scheme

The scheme operated by the state-backed Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland through participating banks aims to help small and medium-sized businesses to adapt to challenges presented by the pandemic.

Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and small midcap companies, excluding those operating in primary agriculture and aquaculture sector and those in financial difficulties, can apply for reduced interest loans from €25,000 to €1.5m.

The loans must be used for future working capital and to adapt to the current economic environment.

The scheme ends on 31 December 2021, or once it’s been fully subscribed. For further information, visit the SBCI website.

Future Growth Loan Scheme

The scheme was set up by the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) to assist companies with the challenges posed by Brexit and expanded to provide long-term support to companies during the pandemic.

Viable micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and small mid-cap enterprises in the primary agriculture (farmers) and seafood sectors can apply for a loan from €100,000 to €3m. Terms are eight to 10 years; interest rates are from 3.5% to 4.5%.

You will need to confirm your eligibility with the SBCI before applying to one of the participating lenders.

Further financial supports

Whether your business falls under one of the sectors that may reopen soon or not, you could be eligible to apply for any of the above financial supports available.

The government has also made further provisions to reduce financial hardship on businesses during the current economic situation. These include:

• Businesses with fewer than 10 employees can avail of up to €2,500 to grow their online business under the Trading Online Voucher. Previous recipients can apply for a second voucher. To find out more, contact your Local Enterprise Office.
• Businesses that have experienced reduced trading due to coronavirus restrictions can avail of a provision for warehousing of their tax liabilities.
• The Commercial Rates Waiver has been extended to the end of September 2021.
• A reduced VAT rate of 9% for the hospitality and tourism sectors has been extended to 1 September 2022.

Additionally, if your business is set to reopen soon, the Health and Safety Authority has prepared some helpful templates and checklists to assist with the transition.

Editor’s note: This article was first published in April 2021 and has been updated for relevance.