Extension of EWSS and CRSS a great relief to hospitality and events sector
- Extension of EWSS (Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme) at full rate of €350 per week to 31st January
- and Extension of CRSS (Covid Restrictions Support Scheme) to 31st January
Fine Gael TD for Limerick City and North Tipperary, Kieran O’Donnell has welcomed today’s announcement by Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe that the government are extending the EWSS Scheme at the full rate of €350 per week for two months to 31st January as well extending the CRSS Scheme to 31st January.
“I welcome this morning announcement by finance Minister Paschal Donohoe that the government are extending the EWSS Scheme at the full rate of €350 per week to 31st January to all sectors as well extending the CRSS Scheme to 31st January. This will come as a great relief to all businesses, more particularly the hospitality and events sector here in Limerick and the Tipperary who have been greatly impacted by the latest Covid19 restrictions. I have worked extensively with these sectors here in Limerick and Tipperary to ensure these latest government support schemes were put in place as quickly as possible.
“In the circumstances of being able to ensure government supports can get to businesses quickly who have been impacted by the latest covid19 restrictions, speed trumps perfect. This is a sensible decision by government to extend the EWSS Scheme at the €350 for the months of December and January as it ensures the link is maintained between businesses and their employees and they can come through together intact.
“The higher €350 EWSS weekly rate will be back-dated to 1st December. Furthermore, it will come into operation by Monday next 13th December, with payments made within 2 days of submitting a claim and arrears due from 1st December being paid by the end of next week.
“In addition, I welcome that Minister Donohoe has also decided to extend the end-date of the CRSS to 31 January 2022 to align with the requirement for nightclubs and discos to close until 9 January 2022 under the Health Regulations.”
END.
Note to Editors: Press Statement announcing Extension of EWSS Scheme at full rate and Extension of CRSS Scheme to 31st January
Minister Donohoe announces update on business supports
The Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe TD, has today (Thursday) announced plans for enhanced support for businesses who qualify for the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) for December 2021 and January 2022.
Following approval from Government on Friday 3rd of December, the Department of Finance worked with the Revenue Commissioners to further develop a proposal to modify the Covid Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS) to provide targeted support for businesses which are subject to the latest public health restrictions. The objective of this modified scheme was to provide targeted, timely and sector-specific support to supplement the EWSS payments to affected businesses.
However, on further consideration and analysis of the available data, it proved to be administratively very complex to design such a scheme and it would not be possible to have it operational ahead of Christmas as had been intended.
Minister Donohoe has now decided that maintaining the enhanced rates of subsidy under the EWSS for a further two months is a relatively more efficient and effective way to support affected businesses in the short term.
Minister Donohoe has also decided to extend the end-date of the CRSS to 31 January 2022 to align with the requirement for nightclubs and discos to close until 9 January 2022 under the Health Regulations.
A further amendment to the Finance Bill 2021 will be brought in the Seanad stage next week to give effect to these changes.
Speaking today Minister Donohoe said:
“I fully appreciate the difficulty many businesses have been presented with in recent weeks given the evolving situation with Covid-19 and recent decisions taken regarding public health restrictions.
As announced last week it was intended to develop further targeted support for those sectors that are most affected by these restrictions and to have this support in place quickly. Upon further analysis of the proposal by my Department and the Revenue Commissioners, it became clear that it would be complex to develop an appropriate and effective scheme in the immediate term.
Instead, I have decided to extend the enhanced rates of EWSS for the months of December and January to give certainty to businesses when they need it most.
The Government and I have been clear that there will be no cliff edge to supports for employers but we have also been clear that the EWSS cannot run indefinitely, nor is it sustainable to continue with the enhanced rates for a prolonged period of time given the very substantial costs to the Exchequer.
From 1 February 2022, the original two-rate structure of €203 per week and €151.50 per week will apply; for March and April 2022 the flat rate subsidy of €100 per week will apply and the scheme will end on 30 April 2022.
The CRSS will be extended until 31 January 2022 to allow nightclubs who are closed under Health Regulations until 9 January access to this much needed support.”
ENDS