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The Cabinet has agreed to give pubs, bars and clubs a support package of 16 million euros that have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
A series of supports have been announced tonight including waiver of court licenses and fees, as well as a 40% restart grant for bars that cannot open.
Those businesses that remain closed and plan to reopen can now receive a minimum of € 5,600 and a maximum of € 35,000 under the Restart Grant Plus.
This can be used to help with the additional expenses and accommodations associated with the reopening when the time comes.
In announcing the packages tonight, Tanaiste Leo Varadkar said: “It has been a really difficult few months for the bar owners. Our publicans are making a massive sacrifice to protect their communities and the government is determined to help.
“This package, in addition to the grants and subsidies that are already available, will help bar owners with the expenses related to preparing for the reopening. The increase in the Restart Grant Plus means that pubs that remain closed will receive a minimum of € 5,600.
“We want to make sure our pubs are ready to reopen as soon as it is safe to do so.”
Countless pubs across the country were forced to close their doors in March when the coronavirus first struck.
And many have not been allowed to reopen for fear that the virus will spread further.
Pubs that can serve a “substantial meal” for a minimum value of € 9.
Minister of Reform and Public Expenditure, Michael McGrath, added: “Without a doubt, the last few months have been really difficult for the innkeepers and their staff, especially those who have not been able to trade for public health reasons.
“Pubs are an important part of the social fabric of our country and the measures announced today are one more support to help them overcome this challenging time and be able to reopen when the time is right.
Meanwhile, the government has also been discussing the option of granting Gardai additional powers to shut down bars that don’t follow public health guidelines.
Under the new laws, they can give an immediate shutdown order for one day if regulations are violated, such as customers not eating food or social distancing.
Bar owners could also face a fine of up to 2,500 euros or a prison sentence of six months.
Gardai may also apply to the District Court for an Emergency Closing Order, which could close a pub for up to 30 days.
(Image: PA)
Speaking about Garda’s new powers, Justice Minister Helen McEntee said: “I welcome the financial support measures adopted by the Government for bar and restaurant companies, many of which have been the most affected and the most affected in recent months.”
“Importantly, and especially in light of the implementing legislation that I presented to cabinet today, it preserves the basis for An Garda Siochana to oppose the renewal of a license when necessary, while at the same time ensuring that the cost for a pub or restaurant owner to renew their license is significantly reduced. “
It appears that the wet pubs will remain closed after the acting medical director, Dr. Ronan Glynn, said yesterday that it was not the right time to lift the shutters.
He said: “We want the pubs to reopen, let’s be very clear about it. We want people to be able to go to pubs and socialize, but right now is not the time.
“We have seen a deterioration in the parameters that we monitor. It has been described as a tipping point, I hope it is not the tipping point.
But today is not the day to consider reopening pubs. It would be a completely wrong message given the current situation. “
A full breakdown of the supports is as follows:
| Wage subsidy scheme | Weekly payment of up to 85% of net salary and from September a flat rate of up to € 203 per employee to help with salary costs | ||
| PUPPY | Weekly payment of up to € 350 with level based on previous income and conical payment until March 2021. | ||
| Trade fee waiver | Commercial fees are waived for a period of six months | ||
| Restart Grant Plus | Minimum subsidy of € 4 k and maximum subsidy of € 25 k based on the tariff invoice. Enhanced grants are available to businesses in Offaly, Laois and Kildare counties. | ||
| Liquidity supports | Various liquidity measures implemented. | ||
| Fiscal measures | Measures that include the storage of the tax debt and the reduction of the general VAT rate from 23% to 21%; Stay and Spend Initiative | ||
| July stimulus measure | 10 million euros for tourism adaptation subsidy |
However, the Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) and the Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) have expressed deep dissatisfaction with the supports they described as “crumbs”.
“This is a mean gesture that shows how little regard this government has for the problems of the bar industry,” said Donall O’Keeffe, executive director of the LVA.
“We ask for Support, Not Sympathy and the Government has given us crumbs. This is the third time that the reopening of pubs has been delayed and they have had weeks to put together a package.
“We had been calling for a plan to support the bar sector since mid-July and this is all the government managed to put together. It is disappointing in the extreme,” he said.
Padraig Cribben, executive director of VFI, stated: “This so-called support package for publicans that are closed for almost six months is woefully inadequate. Our members are facing an autumn of uncertainty without guidance from the Government on how and when they will be allowed to reopen.
“Under the circumstances, paying a weekly grant was the absolute minimum that publicans expected.
“The publicans are now in complete despair. They cannot see any light at the end of the tunnel and these supports will do nothing to ease their fears about the future. The government is allowing thousands of bars to dry out on the vine and the damage is done. to local communities across the country is incalculable, “he concluded.
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