Library of Knowledge

Library of Knowledge No. 36.

Brexit will affect most business’ in one form or other.

It is important that whilst dealing with the ongoing COVID-19 challenges in your business, that you do not neglect your Brexit strategy. Ensure to action now to prepare for 1^st January 2021, Brexit day!

The Department of Business, Enterprise & Innovation have a very good document (8 pages in total) that covers:

• Supply Chain
• Customs
• Tariffs/Duty
• Certification, Regulation and Licensing
• Currency Movement
• Working Capital & Financing
• Data Protection
• Sectoral Information

This document also refers to supports within Local Enterprise Offices, InterTrade Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and Skillnet Ireland.

We will be working hard to provide ongoing support and advise to clients over the coming months.  If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact our office and we will be happy to assist.

For further information see: https://dbei.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/EU-Internal-Market/Brexit/Getting-Brexit-Ready/

Stay safe and well.

Library of Knowledge No. 35

On 17/09/2020, Revenue announced a four-week further extension to the Pay & File deadline for those who file online.

For customers who file their 2019 Self-assessed Income Tax Return and make the appropriate payment through the Revenue Online Service (ROS) in respect of Preliminary Tax for 2020 and any Income Tax balance due for 2019, the due date is now further extended from 12 November 2020 to Thursday, 10 December 2020.

In order to qualify for the extension, customers must both pay and file through ROS, otherwise the relevant return and payment is due no later than 31 October 2020. ROS is available 24/7 and is the easiest and most efficient way to pay and file.

Kindly note, that we will be working with our clients to submit all returns by 31^st October 2020, options to pay by the extension date will be assessed on an individual basis.

Contact our office for any assistance in dealing with your income tax return for 2019.

For further information see: https://revenue.ie/en/corporate/press-office/press-releases/2020/pr-170920-revenue-announces-further-extension-to-the-pay-and-file-deadline.aspx

Stay safe and well.

Library of Knowledge No. 34

As you are aware the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) replaced the Temporary Wages Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) on 1^st September 2020.

Some employees (seasonal workers and new hires) may not have been eligible for TWSS, but now do qualify under EWSS from 1^st September 2020.

Revenue has implemented the July / August EWSS sweepback (the sweepback) which allows employers to claim backdated EWSS for these employees only from 1^st July ‘2020.

Employers can backdate a claim for EWSS to 1 July 2020 in respect of eligible employees for whom an eligible employer has submitted payroll for in July/August, in certain limited circumstances as follows:

• The employer was not eligible for TWSS; or
• The employer had employees not eligible for TWSS;

Note: Employers Submission timeline 15^th September 2020 to 14^th October 2020 Revenue Processing timeline 22^nd September 2020 to 14^th October 2020.

For further information see https://www.revenue.ie/en/corporate/communications/documents/ewss-sweepback-guidelines.pdf

Please contact our office should you require assistance with the application for this scheme.

Stay safe and well.

Library of Knowledge No. 32

The July Stimulus package included the new Apprenticeship Incentivisation Scheme for Employers.

The Apprenticeship Incentivisation Scheme provides financial support for apprenticeship employers who take on apprentices on all national apprenticeship programmes.

The incentive support covers all national apprenticeship programmes – 58 programmes as of August 2020 – and will apply to any new apprenticeship programmes which are launched in 2020.

Apprenticeship employers are eligible for a €3,000 payment for each new apprentice who is registered between the period 01 March and 31 December 2020. €2,000 per apprentice is payable at the point of registration. A further €1,000 is payable in Quarter 3 2021 for each eligible apprentice retained on their apprenticeship.

Steps:

• Step 1: Advertise apprenticeship jobs via www.apprenticeship.ie
• Step 2: Register your apprentice
• Step 3: Apply for the incentive payment

Some terms and conditions of the Apprenticeship Incentivisation Scheme:

Apprentices must continue to be employed by the employer at the time of submission of a claim for the incentive payment.

Employers who have made an apprentice redundant between 01 March and 31 December 2020 are not eligible to make a claim under the Apprenticeship Incentivisation Scheme.

Employers cannot claim for both the Apprenticeship Incentivisation Scheme and JobsPlus for their apprentices.

Apprenticeship employers will be subject to monitoring visits and contact in the usual way by the national network of SOLAS Authorised Officers.

For further information see http://www.apprenticeship.ie/en/Pages/stimulus.aspx

Please contact our office should you require assistance with the application for this scheme.

Stay safe and well.

Library of Knowledge No. 31

This grant is available to self-employed individuals who closed their COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment on or after 18th May 2020.

This will provide business owners with a once-off grant of up to €1,000 to re-start their business which was closed due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

How to Qualify – the Grant will be awarded to self-employed people who:

• are tax and PRSI compliant
• are not liable for commercial rates
• have been in receipt of the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and have closed their claim on or after 18th May 2020;
• have reopened their business which was closed due to the pandemic
• employ less than 10 people
• have an annual turnover of less than €1 million
• are not eligible for COVID-19 Business Restart Grant or similar COVID-19 business re-start grants from other government departments
• can produce VAT receipts/invoices in respect of business re-start costs and expenses claimed, if requested to do so by the department.

Rate of Payment – funding will be awarded for eligible costs up to a maximum of €1,000.

Grants will be awarded on costs related to reopening your business, including:

• safety measures
• business advice or mentoring
• repairs
• fuel
• wages
• Normal business costs are not generally included.

Apply – complete the COVID-19 ESG 1 application form available via the link below & return it your local Intreo Centre.

For further information see https://www.gov.ie/en/service/739f3-enterprise-support-grant-for-buisnesses-impacted-by-covid-19/

Stay safe and well.

Library of Knowledge No. 30

Restart Grant – Update

An improvement announced in the July Stimulus Package was the enhancement and expansion of the Restart Grant (application via your local authority website).

To further support enterprises as the economy reopens and resumes activity, further grant funding of €300m will be provided to businesses through an enhanced Restart Grant.

See below for criteria:

Criteria

	Initial Grant	Enhanced Grant
Must be a rateable business	Yes	Yes
Turnover of	< € 5 million	< € 100,000 per employee
Employing	50 or less	250 or less
Reduction in turnover	25% or more	25% or more
Min. Grant	€ 2,000	€ 4,000
Max. Grant	€ 10,000	€ 25,000

Firms that accessed the Restart Grant will be eligible to apply for a second top-up payment to a total combined value of the revised minimum and maximum grant levels.

Non-rated B&Bs and rateable sports businesses will be eligible for a grant payment of €4,000. Non-rated B&Bs should apply via Fáilte Ireland.

Applications for the enhanced grant will open in due course through your Local Authority.

For further information see:https://dbei.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Supports-for-SMEs/COVID-19-supports/COVID-19-Restart-Grant-Local-Authority-Websites.html

Stay safe and well.

Library of Knowledge No. 29.

As announced on 23^rd July in the July Stimulus Package, the Temporary Wages Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) will be replaced by the Employment Wages Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) from 1^st September 2020 and is expected to continue to 31^st March 2020.

Qualifying Criteria for Employers.

To qualify for the scheme, you must be able to demonstrate that:

• Your business will experience a 30% reduction in turnover or orders between 1^st July and 31^st December 2020

and

• This disruption is caused by COVID-19

You are required to undertake a review on the last day of every month to ensure you continue to meet the above eligibility criteria. If you no longer qualify, you should deregister for EWSS with effect from the following day (that being the 1 of the month).

Certain categories of employees are excluded including proprietary directors or newly hired connected parties.

The scheme will be administered by Revenue on a ‘self-assessment basis’.

Amounts Subsidy Support

Level of subsidy the employer will receive is per paid employee:

Employees Gross Weekly Wage	€ Subsidy payable
Less than € 151.50	NIL
From € 151.51 to € 202.99	151.50
From € 203.00 to € 1,462.00	203.00
From € 1,462+	NIL

PRSI

A 0.5% rate of employers PRSI will continue to apply for employments that are eligible for the subsidy.

For further information see: https://www.revenue.ie/en/corporate/communications/covid19/employment-wage-subsidy-scheme.aspx

Stay safe and well.

Library of Knowledge No. 28

Government launches €7.4bn Jobs Stimulus to help businesses re-open, get people back to work and promote confidence.

The July Jobs Stimulus, a €7.4bn package is designed to stimulate a jobs-led recovery and build economic confidence while continuing to manage the impact of Covid-19.

The priority of the Government remains the wellbeing of our people and communities. We are now increasing our focus on business and on getting as many people as possible back to work.

The measures being launched today are designed to do 4 things:

1. Backing Ireland’s Businesses
2. Helping People.   Especially young people, get back to work
3. Building Confidence and investing in communities 
4. Preparing Ireland for the Economy of the Future

For further information see https://merrionstreet.ie/en/News-Room/News/Spotlights/Government_launches_%E2%82%AC7_4bn_Jobs_Stimulus_to_help_businesses_re-open_get_people_back_to_work_and_promote_confidence.html

Stay safe and well.

Library of Knowledge No. 27

The Lean Business Continuity Voucher – Overview

The Lean Business Continuity Voucher is available to eligible companies to access up to €2,500 in training or advisory services support related to the continued operation of their businesses during the current pandemic.

The voucher may be used to obtain services from approved providers.

The services may be in the form of management advice OR training of management or staff within the company or a combination of both.

Am I eligible?

The Lean Business Continuity Voucher is open to Enterprise Ireland or Údarás na Gaeltachta clients as well as domestically focused companies employing 10 or more in the manufacturing or internationally traded service sectors.

For further information see: https://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/Productivity/Lean-Business-Offer/Lean-Business-Continuity-Voucher.html

Enterprise Ireland  – Becoming a Client

Enterprise Ireland’s priority is the achievement of export sales growth from Irish-owned companies. Export sales growth leads to an increase in demand for Irish goods and services, and increases the flow of income into the Irish economy. This is fundamental to job creation and maintenance in Ireland.

Enterprise Ireland works with entrepreneurs and business people across the full business development spectrum – from early-stage entrepreneurs, to established business owners and Irish multinational companies. Our clients include:

• High Potential Start-Up companies with the capability to start a business and sell in export markets.
• Established manufacturing and internationally traded services businesses that are Small or Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs).
• Large companies (employing more than 250).
• Irish-based food and natural resource companies, that are overseas-owned or controlled.

We do not work with locally traded service companies or with micro-enterprises such as sole traders. Support for these companies or individuals is available from the Local Enterprise Offices.

For further information see:https://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/About-Us/Our-Clients/Overview.html

Enterprise Ireland – Business Adviser

All Enterprise Ireland services, advice, programmes and financial supports are made available to clients either through the Client Service Helpdesk or via an assigned Development Adviser.

Companies involved in significant expansion, R&D, export or investment activity are assigned a Development Adviser who will discuss your business needs and relevant supports available from Enterprise Ireland.

For further information see: https://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/about-us/our-people/da finder/

Stay safe and well.