11/08/2020

Archived item. This item is published here for historical reasons. The information below may be out of date.

Applications are now open to the Restart Grant Plus Scheme, which gives grants to businesses to help them reopen. The Restart Grant Plus is a key part of the government’s July Stimulus package, a €7.4bn package of measures designed to stimulate a jobs-led recovery and build economic confidence while continuing to manage the impact of Covid-19.

Details of the new Restart Grant Plus Scheme include the following:

· The Grant amount has increased. Minimum grant is now €4,000 and maximum is €25,000. Previous grant amounts were €2,000 and €10,000 respectively

· Medium sized companies now eligible Companies with up to 250 employees can now apply (previously the grant was for companies with less than 50 employees)

· Increased eligibility Non-rateable B&Bs*, sports clubs with commercial activities and trading charity shops are now eligible.

To qualify for a grant, the important criteria are:

· A business must be commercial and in the local authority rates system (apart from non-rateable B&Bs who can apply to Fáilte Ireland);

· It must have suffered a 25% loss of expected turnover between 1 April and 30 June 2020;

· It must have less than 250 employees and turnover less than €25m;

· It must declare its intention to re-employ staff in receipt of the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme

First-time applicants apply for the Restart Grant Plus using the online form. Further details are available here

Recipients of the initial Restart Grant are also eligible for this scheme and will receive an email outlining the application process. Please do not re-apply using the new online form.

*Applications to Fáilte Ireland, who will administer the funding to non-rate paying B&Bs, will open over the coming weeks.

Recipients of the initial Restart Grant scheme should not complete the new application form, as the process to receive top up payments will differ to new grant applicants. The Restart Grant team will email previous applicants outlining requirements.