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Bed & Breakfast owners who do not pay local authorities’ fees will be able to claim grants of up to € 4,000 from today, following the opening of applications under the Restart Grant Plus for B&B.
The plan, worth up to € 8 million, aims to help B&B owners with the cost of reopening and operating their business during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
The grant will be administered through Fáilte Ireland on behalf of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Innovation.
Due to additional restrictions introduced in Kildare, Laois and Offaly in August, B & Bs in those counties will be able to claim € 4,800.
Under the Restart Grant Plus, B & Bs that do pay local authority fees can now request from their local authority the equivalent of their 2019 fee invoice, excluding arrears, subject to a minimum grant of € 4,000 and a maximum of 25,000 €.
“Economically, tourism was the hardest hit and will recover the longest from the Covid-19 crisis,” said Paul Kelly, CEO of Fáilte Ireland.
“Our focus is to sustain the sector and support businesses to open up and operate safely as we move through the pandemic.”
B & Bs that are covered by the tourism quality system, the National Quality Assurance Framework (NQAF), will be eligible for grant approval directly from Fáilte Ireland from today until 28 October.
Those without NQAF approval will have a separate application process, with details to be announced shortly.
Meanwhile, up to 2,000 small businesses across the country that have been severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic will be able to access grants of up to € 1,000 to help them adapt and rebuild their businesses.
The € 2 million Micro-Enterprise Assistance Fund aims to assist businesses that are clients of local business offices, employ fewer than 10 people and are not eligible for other existing grants.
To qualify, businesses must have experienced a 30% drop in turnover due to Covid-19 restrictions and commit to reopening and hiring again.
Grants will be based on the amount of guaranteed out-of-pocket expenses and businesses must have a business focus, have an up-to-date certificate of tax compliance, and operate within eligible industries.
The announcement was made ahead of the visit made today by the Tánaiste and the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar, to Kildare.
“While many businesses have benefited from Restart Grant Plus and other government schemes, this is for small businesses with up to 10 employees who have not been eligible for any scheme to date,” Varadkar said.
“It is the recognition of the difficulties they have had in adjusting to Covid-19. Now is the time to buy locally and I encourage everyone to think about their local business owner when they do their weekly shopping or when looking to buy something.”
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