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Michael Lowry T.D.

1 hour ago

As many customers continue to ‘cocoon’, An Post is putting some special measures in place over the Easter weekend.

There’s a change to Post Office opening times this Easter weekend.

Firstly there’s a change to Post Offices opening times:

Post Offices will be open for all services until 1pm this Friday (Good Friday).

Offices will be closed on Easter Saturday so as to give our hard-working frontline post office staff and postmasters a break over the bank holiday weekend.

All Post Offices will reopen for business on Tuesday 14th April.

As many older customers remain cocooned all welfare payments, including pensions, will be held at the post office for 90 days to enable customers to plan post office visits or to put Temporary Agent arrangements in place.

The option available to customers impacted by Covid-19 to nominate a ‘Temporary Agent’ to act on their behalf is proving very popular.

Customers may apply by completing, in advance, a form available at post offices and online at anpost.com/tempagent.

Post Offices remain open for cash banking services for AIB and Ulster customers, stamps, parcel services and One4all giftcards, Western Union money transmission and other banking services.

“Postmasters and Post Office staff have put in a massive effort in recent weeks to look after customers and ensure continuity of postal, financial and welfare payment services while having the necessary physical distancing measures in place” said Debbie Byrne, Managing Director of An Post Retail.

“I want to thank them most whole heartedly for all their efforts in keeping the network of 950 post offices open, providing vital services and a welcoming smile to communities across the country. They are due a well-earned break over the Easter bank holiday so we can resume services on the front-line next Tuesday”, she added.

Further information about all An Post services is available at anpost.com ... See MoreSee Less

Michael Lowry T.D.

5 hours ago

Lowry to Request that Minister Suspend Prescription Levy

Deputy Michael Lowry has supported the call by The Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) and Age Action for the Medical Card prescription levy to be suspended for the duration of the Covid-19 crisis. He will be bringing this appeal to the attention of the Minister for Health, Simon Harris, today.

He says ‘I agree wholeheartedly with the IPU stance that the paying this levy in order to obtain prescriptions is proving especially difficult for cocooning patients. While the majority of pharmacies are facilitating elderly patients by organising the delivery of their medication to their door, many of the volunteers delivering them, including Gardai, are not in a position to take payments. This is resulting is many elderly and vulnerable people feeling obliged to go to the pharmacy to pay the levy as some are not familiar with paying bills over the phone by using bank cards. Suspending this levy would remove a barrier to vulnerable patients accessing medicines and provide another way to help make this most difficult time a little easier for them’

Commenting on their call to suspend the levy, IPU Secretary General, Darragh O’Loughlin said, ‘One of the many challenges being experienced by people who are following official advice to cocoon at home is accessing medicines. This is being experienced most acutely by people over 70 or those with underlying conditions, the very people who are more likely to require regular medicines’
‘Eliminating this charge at this time would be a small but compassionate gesture to those it hits hardest. We hope the Minister for Health listens to this request, which we believe would have a very real benefit to Ireland’s most vulnerable patients’

Paddy Connolly, CEO of Age Action commented, ‘Age Action welcomes and commends the Irish Pharmacy Union’s call for Government to address prescription charges. Easing of the medical card prescription levy would provide a sensible solution and welcome peace of mind to older people who are cocooning and worried about how to pay for their essential prescriptions. The Covid-19 pandemic presents a very real emergency for many older people living on fixed incomes as they struggle to cope with new costs’ ... See MoreSee Less

Michael Lowry T.D.

6 hours ago

Community Response Helpline

Tipperary County Council Service provision.
Our Offices are currently closed to members of the public until further notice, with the exception of some very limited public access, strictly by appointment for certain housing/homeless services.
We are currently acting as an agency to match the requirements of older and vulnerable people with the many services available in the community.

To request assistance from the community response team, call 0761 06 5000

This service is available from 8am - 8pm, 7 days a week.

Visit http://www.tipperarycoco.ie
Phone at 0761 06 5000
Email covid19@tipperarycoco.ie
Use the Post Box where possible
In the event of an emergency in the following services, out of hours please contact;
Roads - 1890 923 948
Housing (Emergency Electrical and Plumbing issues only) - 1890 923 948
Water and Wastewater - 1850 278 278 ... See MoreSee Less

Michael Lowry T.D.

7 hours ago

State exams may be delayed until late summer or autumn ... See MoreSee Less

State exams may be delayed until late summer or autumn

Government considers options as Covid-19 restrictions unlikely to be lifted by June 3rd

Michael Lowry T.D.

18 hours ago

MINISTER ADDRESSES ISSUE OF BUSINESS INTERRUPTION INSURANCE

Following numerous queries from Tipperary based businesses in recent weeks, Deputy Michael Lowry has contacted Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohue, to secure the up to date position in relation to Business Interruption Insurance in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic.

In response to Deputy Lowry, the Minister has said that he is aware that there has been much concern and confusion regarding this issue. He says that these are extraordinary times and he believes that all sectors must play their role in ensuring that the country gets through this and that we do so in a manner that gives us the best chance to bounce back quickly from this crisis.

Minister Donohue says that ‘In that regard, I see insurers as a fundamental part of the economy and I believe that they have a major role to play in ensuring that the economy can continue functioning in these very difficult times. In view of this, my officials have been engaging with the insurance industry through Insurance Ireland, and the Central Bank of Ireland to seek to address concerns that have been raised by many businesses’

He went on to state that ‘It should be noted that as Minister, I have no powers in relation to how insurance companies set the terms and conditions for the policies they write, or on how they price the risk underlying those policies. Therefore, I cannot direct or require that insurers cover claims resulting from infectious diseases such as COVID-19.

Whether a business can make a claim in relation to loss of earnings because of closure due to COVID-19 will depend on the specifics of their policy’

As a general rule, the Minister says that he believes that insurers should not attempt to reject claims on the basis of interpreting policies to their own advantage. Insurers should engage with those businesses honestly, fairly and professionally to honour those elements of the policies covered, in line with the Central Bank’s Consumer Protection Code. He advised that businesses engage directly with their insurer or broker with regard to their level of cover.

Following his communication with Deputy Lowry, Minister Donohue wrote to Insurance Ireland setting out his views and concerns on the handling of business interruption cover by insurers. ‘In addition, I set out in this letter my belief that there are other positive measures that insurers can take to alleviate pressure on business and personal policyholders, including forbearance for some personal and corporate customers. In that regard, I requested that insurers implement these measures wholeheartedly in order to provide certainty for businesses and individual consumers at this time’ ... See MoreSee Less

Michael Lowry T.D.

18 hours ago

Thanks health heroes for working 24/7 to keep us safe from the coronavirus! ... See MoreSee Less

Michael Lowry T.D.

19 hours ago

A new Teagasc telephone helpline to assist farmers with queries in relation to the current #COVID19 challenge has been set up.

This helpline is open to all farmers for a range of farming issues they face on a day to day. The information line phone number is 076-1113533 and will be open from 9.30am to 12.30pm and from 2pm to 5pm Monday to Friday.

As usual, the Teagasc website www.teagasc.ie is a prime source of information on the full range of issues facing farm businesses. Teagasc clients should continue to use Advisors mobiles and office numbers.

Read more here https://www.teagasc.ie/news--events/news/2020/new-tel-helpline-farmers.php ... See MoreSee Less

Michael Lowry T.D.

19 hours ago

Green light for Semple Stadium development ... See MoreSee Less

Green light for Semple Stadium development

Ardan Ui Chuinneain will undergo major surgery but a time frame has not been set for the works

Michael Lowry T.D.

20 hours ago

Minister Humphreys announces major expansion of business supports for SMEs

Published: 8 April 2020
From: Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation
€1 billion in Liquidity Measures available for SMEs

€180 million Sustaining Enterprise Fund launched

*expansion of two SBCI Loan Schemes by €450 million to provide an extra €250 million for working capital and €200 million for longer-term loans, bringing the total allocation to support liquidity in companies affected by the COVID-19 crisis to €650 million
*€180 million Sustaining Enterprise Fund for firms in the manufacturing and international services sectors
*extension of supports for online trading to €7.6 million
*expansion of Microfinance Ireland funding by €13 million to €20 million for COVID-19 loans with interest rates dropped from 7.8% to 4.5%
*free mentoring, free online training for all businesses

Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys TD, today announced a major expansion of supports for all businesses impacted by COVID-19. The package is now worth €1 billion in liquidity measures including a new €180 million Sustaining Enterprise Fund for firms in the manufacturing and international services sectors. Free mentoring and online training are also available for all SMEs.

Minister Humphreys said:

"This package is a significant step-up in the supports available for all businesses in all sectors at this very difficult time. The measures have been developed to meet the varying needs of Irish enterprise and they are very specifically targeted by size, sector and need."
The Minister continued:

"The impact of COVID-19 presents unprecedented difficulties for businesses who have already spent the past three years preparing for the possible consequences of Brexit, but those preparations will stand to us.
"I want to reiterate to firms that we will continue to use all available tools at our disposal to support them and keep money flowing through the economy in the difficult months ahead."

Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, Paschal Donohoe TD added:

"Businesses are experiencing unprecedented difficulty of varying degrees. Many have let staff go, many have retained staff through the government’s Wage Subsidy Scheme and many are shifting their model to adapt to new circumstances. This package of measures being announced today is designed to offer supports to businesses of all hues, from start-ups to more established companies. It is vital that traders examine what is on offer, apply for schemes and loans, many of which are available at reduced rates, to give themselves the best chance of survival during this difficult time."

Commenting on the Trading Online Voucher Scheme for microenterprises, one of two online trading schemes to receive additional funding today worth a combined €7.6 million, Minister for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, Richard Bruton TD, said:

"Trading Online Vouchers are a key government grant to help small and micro enterprises get online. The changes which we are announcing today will help companies, working with their Local Enterprise Office, to get online during this difficult period. This is particularly important when so many small businesses are closed. However, the value of the Trading Online Voucher will stand to your company for years to come, will boost your revenue, and will help you sustain and create jobs into the future."

All SMEs

Minister Humphreys announced that an additional €450 million of lending will be provided through the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) for SMEs in all sectors including agri-food. This will provide much needed liquidity for firms and bring total SBCI COVID-19 lending capacity up to €650 million with loans available through the pillar banks.

*Firstly, the €200 million SBCI COVID-19 Working Capital Loan Scheme will increase by €250 million to €450 million. The Scheme is providing essential liquidity support to businesses with over 1,400 applications received by the SBCI so far. Loans can be between €25,000 and €1.5 million at a maximum interest rate of 4%. Loan terms range from one year to three years and loans can be unsecured up to €500,000. Interest-only repayments may be available at the start of the loans

*secondly, she announced an additional €200 million in COVID-19 funding for the Future Growth Loan Scheme, which will be released in tranches, to provide longer-term loans to COVID-19 impacted businesses. Loan amounts will range €100,000 to a maximum of €3,000,000 per applicant. Loan terms range from 8 to 10 years and loans of up to €500,000 can be unsecured. Interest-only repayments may be available at the start of the loans. The maximum interest rate will be 4.5%

In addition, the new €2,500 Business Continuity Voucher, available through Local Enterprise Offices, is designed for businesses across every sector that employ up to 50 people. The voucher can be used by companies to develop short-term and long-term strategies to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

These measures are in addition to the €150 million of funding capacity in the government’s Credit Guarantee Scheme, which Minister Humphreys encouraged businesses to avail of.

Microenterprises (under 10 employees)

The supports also include an additional €30 million for microenterprises through the 31 Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) comprising additional funding for Microfinance Ireland and Trading Online Grants for those businesses that are in a position to do business online while complying with the public health guidelines.

Firstly, Microfinance Ireland (MFI), which is administering special COVID-19 Loans, will receive an additional €13 million in capital support bringing its total lending capacity up to €20 million for the coming period.

The Minister also announced a substantial reduction in interest rates on these loans from 7.8% to 4.5%. Loans can be made up to €50,000 with no repayments required and no interest charged in the first six months.

This reduced rate will be available to all micro-enterprises from retail and tourism, to software and transport, with less than 10 employees, where the application is made through the LEOs or Local Development Committees. The new rate for direct applications to MFI will also be reduced to 5.5%.

Secondly, the Minister is increasing support for two trading online initiatives to a total of €7.6 million – the first for microenterprises in partnership with the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Richard Bruton TD, and the second for retailers with over 10 employees.

This is a very important route for businesses to grow and improve their business in the current crisis, and an important element in their recovery over the longer term. The LEOs have reported an increased interest from companies in accessing Trading Online Vouchers and other supports, for example, for businesses that want to provide takeaway services while their restaurants are closed or provide online courses.

The first online initiative is an expansion of the €2,500 Trading Online Voucher Scheme for microenterprises, in agreement with Minister Bruton. An additional €3.3 million is being provided to the scheme bringing the total available to €5.6 million. The Ministers also announced new flexibilities with the €2,500 Trading Online Vouchers, allowing businesses to apply for a second voucher of up to €2,500 where they have successfully utilised their first one; and allowing subscriptions to low-cost online retailing platform solutions to quickly establish a retailing presence online.

Businesses with over 10 employees

The second online trading support will be available exclusively for indigenous retail businesses with over 10 employees. The Minister is making a new €2 million COVID-19 Retail Online Scheme available through Enterprise Ireland.

Today the Minister also announced a further two new supports to assist companies planning for the future, a Business Financial Planning Grant from Enterprise Ireland to the value of €5,000 to assist companies to develop a Business Sustainment Plan and to engage the services of an approved Financial Consultant, and a new €2,500 LEAN Business Improvement Grant from Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland to help companies quickly access expertise to review and optimise operations at a time of crisis and identify the key measures needed to ensure continued viability.

In the manufacturing and international services sectors, which employ over 460,000 people directly and a similar number of indirect employees, Minister Humphreys announced a major new Sustaining Enterprise Fund of up to €180 million. This is specifically aimed at all firms with 10 or more employees impacted by COVID-19 that are vulnerable but viable. The Fund will be operated by Enterprise Ireland, providing repayable advances of up to €800,000 as agreed with the EU under new State Aid rules and, together with leveraged lending from the financial markets, should see up to €500 million of additional investment in vulnerable but viable firms. These grants will only be repayable if and when a business returns to financial good health.

Government will continue to explore funding potential at EU level including through the European Regional Development Fund.

Finally, access to equity continues to be an important part of the supports for start-up and scaling firms. Therefore, the Minister encouraged early stage firms to apply for a new €750,000 Competitive Start Fund (CSF) now available from Enterprise Ireland. This is in addition to a new €30 million Seed and Venture Capital call for proposals to support early stage and scaling firms through Enterprise Ireland under the government’s €175 million Seed and Venture Capital Initiative.

Commenting on the extension of funding for the SBCI Loan Schemes, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed TD, concluded:

"The expansion of the COVID-19 Scheme, co-funded by my department, will provide additional working capital support for SMEs in the agri-food sector. Considering the requirement at this time to keep homes here and abroad stocked with high-quality, nutritious food, this assistance is significant. The expansion of the Future Growth Loan Scheme long-term investment support for primary producers and food businesses, which is also co-funded by my department, is also welcome. I continue to liaise with the banks on liquidity for the primary sector and also want to highlight the availability of working capital assistance to farmers and fishers through Microfinance Ireland’s COVID-19 Business Loan. In times like these we realise the importance of those who produce, process, package and distribute our food and we will continue to keep the finance needs of the whole agri-food sector under review."

Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) €2,500
Trading Online Voucher

The Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) €2,500 Trading Online Voucher is a government grant scheme, designed to assist small businesses. It offers financial assistance of up to €2,500 along with training and advice to help your business trade online. The Trading Online Voucher grant scheme is administered by the LEOs on behalf of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. The grant is available to cover 90% of the costs of an online initiative and recipients can be awarded up to two grants of €2,500 to companies which have successfully implemented an initial grant offer. Participating in this scheme can make the process of trading online much easier for businesses.

See: localenterprise.ie/Discover-Business-Supports.

COVID-19 Retail Online Scheme

The new COVID-19 Retail Online Scheme will be administered by Enterprise Ireland and will be open to retailers employing over 10 people. A similar Scheme ran on a pilot basis over two calls in 2018 and 2019. The Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation (DBEI) has proposed this Scheme in response to the COVID-19 crisis and the urgent need for retail companies to achieve a step change in online capability to achieve business continuity, and also to lay foundations for future recovery and growth. The total fund size will be up to €2 million under this competitive call. The objective of the Scheme is to support companies in the indigenous retail sector with a pre-existing online presence to respond to both the domestic and international consumer demand for a competitive online offer. Successful applicants will be awarded funding to support a maximum of 80% of the project costs. Grants ranging from €10,000 to €40,000 will be awarded under the competitive scheme.

Sustaining Enterprise Fund

The new Sustaining Enterprise Fund of up to €180 million, which is approved under the DG Competition Temporary Framework, is open to eligible companies that:

*employ 10 or more full time employees
*are operating in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sectors
*for SMEs - have applied for funding from a financial institution, including, where appropriate, through the SBCI COVID-19 Working Capital Loan Scheme
*for large companies – have completed a formal application process for funding with an appropriate financial institution
Businesses qualifying under this EU supported scheme will be offered a Repayable Advance of up to €800,000.

The Sustaining Enterprise Fund will be used to support the implementation of a Business Sustainment Project Plan which must be provided by the company outlining the eventual stabilisation of the business and a return to viability.

The funding is open to all Enterprise Ireland, IDA and Údarás na Gaeltachta clients and other companies employing 10 or more in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sector.

The first port of call for liquidity support will continue to be the SBCI/banks. This new Sustaining Enterprise Fund will be a distinct offer of funding support via a repayable advance which would only be provided where all SBCI/bank options have been fully exhausted.

DG Competition Temporary Framework

The Commission has developed a Temporary Framework to allow member states to put in place short term, targeted responses to the impact of COVID-19 on their economies. The Framework operates under Art 107(3)(b) TFEU which the Commission may declare aid compatible with the internal market “to remedy a serious disturbance in the economy of a Member State”. The Framework allows for aid, in the form of grants or tax or payment advantages of up to €800,000 per undertaking. Aid may also be granted in the form of loan guarantees and subsidised interest rates.

€5,000 COVID-19 Business Financial Planning Grant

The €5,000 COVID-19 Business Financial Planning Grant will help companies to develop the Business Sustainment Project Plan.

The grant will support companies with 100% funding to engage the services of an approved financial consultant to develop this plan for use when applying for bank or investor funding and when developing their own medium-term financial strategy. Enterprise Ireland will work with these companies on a one-to-one basis to support the implementation of the plan.

€2,500 Lean Business Improvement Grant

The €2,500 Lean Business Improvement Grant is for a Training project of up to three days carried out by an approved external advisor/trainer directly with an eligible company. It is expected that the three days will be spread over a longer period so that there is time for the company to implement changes between sessions.

It is expected that this support would be delivered online in most cases.

The project should focus on the Operations of the company in terms of:

*crisis response where appropriate
*sustaining operations including process re-engineering
*planning for resilience post crisis
For more information, go to www.enterprise-ireland.com/businessresponse.

€750,000 Competitive Start Fund

The new €750,000 Competitive Start Fund is aimed at start-ups and the call for proposals is open for three weeks through Enterprise Ireland closing on 14 April 2020. This fund is open to early stage companies in all sectors in manufacturing and internationally traded services. The maximum support available is €50,000 for a 10% ordinary equity stake in the start-up company.

Online Shopping

Orders may be processed and fulfilled online, but must adhere to the following:

*the administration/processing activities associated with online orders and fulfilment must be done home-based (that is, home-based working and not office-based)
*the employer must have only a minimum level of staff on site (for example, in warehouse, depot) for fulfilment
*the requirements in relation to physical distancing must be rigorously adhered to in the carrying out of the fulfilment and delivery activities

These principles apply and must be adhered to, and if not, the activity needs to be curtailed. Online suppliers must be confident in their ability to comply with the public health guidelines announced by Government on Friday, 27 March. ... See MoreSee Less

Michael Lowry T.D.

21 hours ago

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