{"id":24542,"date":"2021-12-21T10:23:00","date_gmt":"2021-12-21T15:23:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=24542"},"modified":"2021-12-22T14:26:50","modified_gmt":"2021-12-22T19:26:50","slug":"government-announces-new-pandemic-supports-for-businesses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=24542","title":{"rendered":"Government Announces New Pandemic Supports For Businesses"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
The Government plans to spend around $227 million on business supports in January alone (PA Images)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Government has announced a range of new supports for businesses following the introduction of tightened Covid-19 restrictions for the coming weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result of the new measures, designed to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant, the Government plans to spend around $227 million (\u20ac200 million) on business and employer supports in January alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

T\u00e1naiste Leo Varadkar said on Tuesday the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) has re-opened for new applicants in the hospitality and arts sectors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also confirmed the Covid Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS) will be available to all hospitality businesses that have made the decision to close their doors, rather than stay open, due to the new restrictions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This will be the case if businesses decide it is not \u201cpractical\u201d or does not \u201ccover the cost\u201d to stay open.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said that funding will be provided to businesses that can and choose to stay open, but have a drop in turnover to 40 per cent of the previous level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He urged business owners: \u201cPlease keep your staff on the payroll, if at all possible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Varadkar said the hospitality and arts sector will need to still be there come spring and summer, as ministers promise better days ahead once the Omicron wave has passed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou are not in any way to blame for this pandemic,\u201d he told businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Government is on your side. We are here to support you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe added new changes to the eligibility criteria for the EWSS will provide greater support to a wider range of businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New restrictions came into effect at midnight on Sunday, including an 8 pm curfew on hospitality. Public health officials have also urged people to rethink their Christmas plans due to concerns over the transmission of the Omicron variant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minister for Public Expenditure Michael McGrath said the measures would help thousands of people retain employment, telling Tuesday’s briefing: \u201cThe public health restrictions announced after last Friday\u2019s Cabinet meeting are not ones that any Government would want to announce before Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He acknowledged the restrictions had caused \u201canxiety and despair\u201d for many workers and business owners and said that many people were expected to lose their jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is, he said, \u201cimperative that we act swiftly to deal with the real-world consequences of the public health measures.\u201d<\/p>\n

Share this:<\/h3>