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The government’s € 16 million support package for pubs, bars and nightclubs that cannot be reopened under current guidelines is a “petty gesture”, representative groups of publicans have said.
The Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) and the Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) say the package is a “petty gesture” and not enough to reverse the financial damage some pubs face as reopening has been postponed for the third time. .
In a statement, Donall O’Keeffe, CEO of LVA, said: “Pubs that are still closed will receive the same level of restart grant that is provided to businesses in Kildare, some of which remained open. Kildare received a 40% grant for four weeks of closure, but the wet pubs, which will be closed for a minimum of six months, will receive the same 40% grant.
“We ask for Support, Not Sympathy and the Government has given us crumbs. This is the third time the pubs reopening has been delayed and they have had weeks to put together a package.
“We had been calling for a plan to support the tavern sector since mid-July and this is all the government managed to put together. It is disappointing in the extreme,” he added.
Padraig Cribben, VFI CEO, called the package “woefully inappropriate” for innkeepers whose facilities have been closed for the past six months.
“Our members are facing an autumn of uncertainty with no guidance from the government on how and when they will be allowed to reopen. Under the circumstances, a weekly grant payment was the absolute minimum expected by publicans.”
Cribben said that the publicans are “now in complete despair” and cannot “see any light at the end of the tunnel.”
“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 that is being done to local communities across the country is incalculable.”
The new funding includes a restart grant and a 40% top-up for businesses that remain closed.
Businesses can now receive a minimum of € 5,600 and a maximum of € 35,000 under the grant for additional costs and preparations for reopening when allowed to do so.
An exemption from court fees and associated excise and stamp taxes related to the renewal of licenses for bars and other alcoholic beverages has also been introduced this year, and the excise tax on business licenses for alcoholic beverages that are renewed in 2020 .
Speaking at a briefing tonight, Tanaiste Leo Varadkar said he “cannot put a date” on which the ‘wet’ pubs will be allowed to reopen.
He said the National Public Health and Emergency team (Nphet) is working with the government on protocols “that could allow the reopening of pubs in the future, if the virus starts going in the right direction again.”
“But I can’t put a date for that right now,” he added.
“Ireland is the only country in Europe where wet bars are completely closed. In most countries. They are open with some restrictions and we are looking at exactly where that can be done and we are building, I think, very good compliance from the pub sector. restaurants, where we have only seen a significant group among many.
“So that’s where we’d like to get to in the next few weeks, but I can’t guarantee it’s possible. This is just an extra help to help in the meantime.”
When asked if he thinks the pubs will reopen before the end of the year, the Tanaiste said “I can’t say that for sure.”
The Irish Beverage Industry Group (DIGI) said the support is “better than none” but does not “capture the magnitude of the situation.”
“Ireland’s pubs have been closed for almost six months, much longer than any other country in the EU. There has not yet been an explanation from the Government as to why Ireland is a special case, “said a spokesman.
“The government has not provided any certainty or even an approximate timetable for pub reopening. This is little consolation to the thousands of business owners facing the real prospect of a permanent shutdown – and soon.
“The closure until 2021 will cause unrecoverable job losses, reduce prospects in rural communities, weaken our tourism product and permanently damage the character and culture of the country.
DIGI asked the government to implement longer-term strategies to “re-evaluate some of the broader constraints that exist across the sector, such as excise duties.”
“Without a reduction, companies will reopen their debts at reduced capacity with the second highest excise duty rate in the EU. This will put them in an immediate pushback and threaten more permanent shutdowns. “
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