Supports for mobile businesses
Deputies McAuliffe, O'Donoghue and Murnane O'Connor press for support for businesses without fixed premises, including catering trucks and coffee vans, and argue regional grants should not exclude smaller counties like Carlow. The Tánaiste says a new aid scheme is coming for rateable premises, recognises the gap for vehicle-based businesses, and will raise the Fáilte Ireland grant issue.
We have put in place huge supports for businesses during this pandemic but we have not done enough for those who do not have a fixed premises. I am thinking of many people in small businesses or who are self-employed who might have a catering truck that operates at festivals or events. Will the Government bring forward supports for them? They have fixed costs but not a fixed premises. The business aid scheme was aimed to perhaps help them but I have yet to see the details on that. I ask for the details to be brought forward.
Comment on this
In Limerick, people going out on their walks could go to the coffee trucks and the rest and get their cup of coffee. The licensing was not in place for these and they were all closed down because of licensing rules. We need to relax licensing rules for pop-up coffee trucks so people can go out for a walk and have a cup of coffee and so these businesses are supported.
Comment on this
We have been asking people to spend local and stay local for the summer, but a few weeks ago Fáilte Ireland announced support schemes for outdoor dining and infrastructure with local authorities. My issue is they picked eight areas, namely, Dublin, Killarney, Limerick, Waterford, Galway, Cork, Athlone and Kilkenny. They forgot the Carlows, and small counties like my own are struggling to make ends meet and are being forgotten when there are grant supports like that in conjunction with local authorities. Will the Tánaiste go back to Fáilte Ireland and make sure everyone gets these grants? It is unfair to single out eight locations and leave out the rest.
Comment on this
I am sure the Deputy will not begrudge Kilkenny being one of the eight areas that benefited from those grants, but she makes a reasonable point as to why Carlow should be included as well. I will take that up with Fáilte Ireland.
On the small business aid scheme that Deputy McAuliffe raised, that will be launched next week or so and it is a cash grant to help those businesses with fixed costs. It will only apply to businesses that have a rateable premises, and I acknowledge that raises an issue for people whose business is home-based or based on vehicles that have to be taxed and insured. I will look at that. The new scheme is not the last scheme the Government will bring in.