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THE GOVERNMENT WILL seek to put a bumpy start behind them with agreement today on the much-vaunted July stimulus package.
The plan is expected to include low-cost loans for businesses, an extension of the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme and a grant scheme for businesses of between €2,000-€10,000.
To boost the tourism sector, a so-called ‘staycation voucher’ for holidaymakers in Ireland to claim a rebate on part of their hospitality costs is also expected. This rebate is not expected to come into force until the autumn, however, and will run until April 2021.
On the social protection side, it is understood that a proposal to reduce the Pandemic Unemployment Payment by €50 to €300 per week is under consideration.
Meanwhile, there could be relief for businesses as the Wage Subsidy Scheme is also expected to be extended beyond August, perhaps to the end of the year, and could be open for companies to use in relation to new hires.
The July Stimulus package, which was originally due to sign off on Tuesday, is expected to be agreed by Cabinet today. It is being touted as the much-heralded ‘rescue’ plan the government hopes will boost the economy.
While the plan hopes to inject much-needed funds into Irish businesses, clarity will also be given to thousands of workers on the wage subsidy scheme as well as the pandemic unemployment payment.
Tánaiste and Business Minister Leo Varadkar has said it will be a “package of scale”. So, how much will it cost?
“Several billions of euro… a multi-billion euro package,” said Varadkar.
While there are a lot of measures in the mix, much of the plan has already been well-flagged. However, one interesting aspect hints at the Green Party’s fingerprints on the plans.
Something Eamon Ryan and Varadkar are understood to be interested in rolling out is a “Green fund” which will help businesses invest in new heating systems and insulation. It is hoped such a measure will benefit businesses, tick the climate action box, while also creating jobs.
The stimulus will also include an enhanced restart grant for businesses, which currently offers a minimum payment of €2,000 and a maximum payment of €10,000.
The extension of commercial rates waivers for the rest of the year will also be considered, as will the reduction in some business taxes. Access to cheaper loans is also on the cards for businesses, something that many TDs have called for. Criticism has been levelled at the government’s loan schemes due to the interest rates ranging from between 4.5%-5.5%.
Varadkar told the Dáil that the government is looking to what other countries are doing also, though he ruled out restaurant vouchers for all citizens in a bid to boost tourism, something done by other countries.
“We compare favourably when it comes to the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP). Not many countries are providing €350 per week to workers. That is triple what it is in Northern Ireland or Britain. We compare well when it comes to the wage subsidy scheme, which will end in the UK, for example, in October.
“We have not yet set a date for ours. We probably need to do more with direct grants and in terms of our loan guarantee. These are the kinds of things we are working on for next week and beyond,” he said.
The government plans to address five areas:
Alternative and new jobs in areas such as housing construction, the care sector or green energy, as well as apprenticeships, higher education options, back-to-work enterprises, back-to-education options, are also expected to feature.
Minister for Education and Skills Norma Foley and the Minister with responsibility for Higher Education Simon Harris will roll out options for young people who have been on the pandemic unemployment payment or jobseeker’s payments for a prolonged period.
Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys is examining the community employment scheme which will also be scaled up.
The July stimulus is very much focused on the needs of young people in particular. It will have a particular focus on sectors which employ large numbers of younger people, such as hospitality, retail, tourism and leisure, and construction.
Another reminder that the children’s hospital is being built in the wrong location. Every time there is an accident on the M50 roads into Dublin cannot manage the level of traffic.
Inside the M50 belt just does not make sense.
@Ciarán McPhillips: such a scary thought for a child to be in an ambulance and caught up on the M50. Disgraceful decision.
@Deborah Behan: We’re sleepwalking our way towards that exact situation. The mind boggles.
No doubt caused by some muppet hammering up the outside/city lanes and then nipping in to go northbound. We need to start a campaign to not let queue jumpers in.
@mcgoo:
Or perhaps allowing queue jumpers in would stop the accidents
Meanwhile here in Leitrim….
@Patrick J. O’Rourke: who cares about a dying county like Leitrim
@Michael Walsh: We are not dying. We’re generally quite happy that we don’t have to become a slave to make a living. Who cares about the septic tank that is Dublin? See…same question.
@Patrick J. O’Rourke: As a Dub myself id agree. Dublin is grinding to a standstill as we repeat the mistakes of the Celtic tiger years and continue to vote for political organisations who have their and not the nation as a whole best interests at heart.
@Patrick J. O’Rourke: jealous
@quality cheese: Did you post this on your 6 hour journey to work or from bed this morning? Hard to tell…. but “quality cheese”…… your at home
@Michael Walsh: like it or not your taxes keep Leitrim going.
@quality cheese: A tendency to resort to insults shows quite clearly a lack of intellect.
Tailgating is the problem. Its amazing cars doing 140kph tailgating just 1 metre behind the car in front. Amazing breaking system they must have to avoid a crash if the car in front suddenly breaks. KEEP YOUR DISTANCE. 1m for every 2kph. Eg a car must leave 200 metres distance at 100 kph.
@Brendan Mason: That and the roads were wet this morning, come this way every morning before 7am.
Speed limit drops from 100 kp to 80 kp, most people dont pay any heed to that.
Many go beyond it.
Zero police enforcement and bad driving skills, welcome to Irish driving!
@Brendan Mason: 1m for every 2kph? Therfore using your formula travelling around 100kph should have a gap of 50m not 200m. Anyway if anyone left a gap of 200m on an Irish motorway they’d be flashed at (lights) and abused by other road users.
@Brendan Mason: The accident happened close to the Luas car park junction before the M50. Given the time of morning the accident occurred, and it being a Monday which is probably the busiest morning of the week anyway, it’s virtually an impossibility that cars were traveling at 140kph, or anywhere remotely close to that speed.
@Tommy Roche: the 140 kph is an example. 4okph may be enough to cause a crash if cars are close enough to each other .
@Brendan Mason: 40 kph sorry.
@Brendan Mason: I drive as part of my job and find that if you do leave a gap to the car in front then you’ll always have a gimp who will try to squeeze their car into that gap meaning you have to jam on the breaks
@Brendan Mason: 1mtr behind a car in front driving at 140kmh? Bit of an exaggeration don’t you think. Most drivers wouldn’t be able to judge 60, 80,100mtrs. Little tip – if you are overtaking in the out most lane try keep right of centre of your lane. You will be able to see the break lights of the second car in front.
@Brendan Mason: if you keep the right distance some mope jumps in in front of you that cuts your distance your bolloxed then . This happens very often rant over
For a lot of tech companies e.g. Facebook, Dell, Amazon, people can work from home quite a bit. With some planning you dont need mega-speed broadband either. Can’t help but think some of these businesses could make the leap to commuter towns and beyond. Clonakility has a multinational, the workers have houses, sea-air, little traffic and are 30 mins from Cork for a bit of life, and the airport also. Not ignoring the lack of routes currently available, but if more large towns within 60 mins of Galway, Limerick and Cork were utilised, how much better would life be for people? It will only take one big tech company to lead the way.
Vomit. How do people put up with this shit everyday of their lives.
Life is short people.
@Ciarán McPhillips: I ment 50 metres for 100 kph.
70 metres for 140 kph etc.
@Brendan Mason: but they are not leaving a fraction of that distance. Gung ho. Flash lights. The road is mine attitude. Slap on the breaks etc.
have your say