Sinn Féin spokesperson on Enterprise, Trade, and Employment, Louise O’Reilly TD, has said the Tánaiste’s dithering regarding the expansion of the Covid Restrictions Support Scheme is putting more and more businesses, and jobs, at risk by the day.
 
Speaking this morning, Teachta O’Reilly said:
 
“It was welcome to read in the media over the weekend that the Tánaiste and the Government have designs on expanding the Covid restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS). However, the fact that this has not yet been done has put many businesses, and jobs, at risk.

“Since budget day, when the CRSS scheme was announced, Sinn Féin highlighted the limitations within the scheme, and have consistently argued that the scheme should include all businesses that had seen their turnover fall by 75 percent or more.

“Under the current scheme, only businesses with fixed premises and reduced footfall as a result of restrictions qualify.

“At the Enterprise Committee in October, I outlined these problems and called on the Tánaiste to expand the scheme to cater for excluded businesses. While in November, Teachta Pearse Doherty highlighted the limitations of the CRSS directly to the Minister for Finance.

“Following on from the debate in the Enterprise Committee, I wrote to the Tánaiste restating my concerns with the scheme, and I further outlined the businesses and sectors excluded from the scheme which needed to be brought into its remit.

“For months Sinn Féin have been raising these matters and pushing for the inclusion of companies, such as suppliers, event management companies, businesses without a fixed premises, and many others, who have fallen through the cracks within the scheme.

“Despite our efforts there has been little wider reform of the scheme to protect suffering businesses, and the Tánaiste’s dithering on the matter is putting more and more businesses, and jobs, at risk by the day.

“The Government need to stop talking about reforming the scheme and just go and do it.”