Rose Conway-Walsh Demands Urgent Fix to Business Grants Anomalies
Rose Conway-Walsh pressed for immediate fixes to anomalies in a business grants scheme, urging faster engagement and quicker implementation than an autumn timeline. She welcomed a rollback but said the scheme’s inflexibilities around revenue and eligibility must be resolved as a matter of urgency.
Immediate concerns
The speaker said the department recognised the problem and that it needed to be addressed, but warned that continuing to 'engage' could take too long. She insisted the turnaround must be much sooner than the autumn date that was mentioned.
Revenue and flexibility for businesses
She stressed that businesses struggling with accumulated amounts owed to revenue face an inflexibility that needs remedying. The speaker urged that flexibility be provided for firms caught in that trap to avoid further harm.
Inclusion of ceased businesses
The speaker highlighted the importance of considering businesses that are no longer in operation when resolving anomalies. She said those firms must also be taken into account as part of any urgent fixes.
Scheme shortcomings and learnings
In discussion, the minister acknowledged the scheme was not perfect and reflected 2023 rates, requiring some businesses to engage with local authorities on up-to-date rates and repayment plans. The minister said lessons from this process should be implemented in any future schemes and noted the role of the cash injection many firms received to address labour and energy costs.
Engagement and next steps
The minister outlined a commitment to an accelerated, ambitious programme and said local authorities will engage with businesses ineligible for ICOD2. The minister noted that over 75,000 businesses received the first payment and that authorities need to identify sectors and firms that did not qualify, with a view to bringing the process to a conclusion.
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I'm glad that the department see since in this, because obviously it needed to be addressed. Now we're doing grants for long enough. We shouldn't be in a situation where these anomalies arise. It does concern me that you say you're engaging with deeper, because that can take a long time. And I know I heard mentioned here that we have it by autumn. I think that needs to be much sooner than that. I would contrast it in the sense of businesses who are trying to deal with revenue at the moment and highlight to you that there's an inflexibility there, particularly where there has been an accumulation of what's owed to revenue. That there is a flexibility there for businesses, particularly businesses who are caught in this trap. I think it's significant as well for businesses who are no longer in operation, that they are considered as well. So I think it needs to be done as a matter of urgency. I'm glad there's been a rollback on it. It shouldn't have happened in the first place. We recognise that businesses are really struggling as it is, but it needs to be immediate in terms of the turnaround of it. Thank you. Just to thank all the deputies for their contribution in relation to the announcement this morning. Just to say in relation to the scheme itself and to Deputy McGrath's point, the scheme wasn't perfect. I think there's an acknowledgement there that it was reflective on the 2023 rates, and many businesses then had to engage with local authorities around up-to-date rates and a rates repayment of the plan to bring them up to speed. And indeed, we do want to enhance potential further schemes down the road and ensure that the learnings from this process are implemented in any future schemes that we do look to implement. However we do know the importance of the cash injection that many businesses received to deal with labour costs, but also cost of energy costs over the last 12 months, which have been really significant in relation to their viability. And indeed, in relation to the process, I know myself and Minister Burke are very determined to ensure that we have a very accelerated and ambitious programme in terms of trying to get this done. And now the local authorities will engage with many businesses who are ineligible for ICOD2. We've seen over 75,000 businesses who were in receipt of the first payment. So again, they need to be engaged with to see who didn't actually qualify, and what sectors specifically didn't qualify for ICOD2. We do want to see this coming to a finale and a conclusion. We do want also to ensure that any future schemes, as I said earlier, that these learnings are implemented.
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