Frustrated with the lack of support being made available to charter skippers

Latest email correspondence between Fáilte Ireland Projects Officer Fionnan Nestor and ICSA chairman Donal Kennedy

​
From: Fionnan Nestor <[email protected]>
Date: 01/09/2020 12:49:25
Subject: RE: Other grants and funding
To: Donal Kennedy <[email protected]>

Hi Donal,
 
I’m very sorry that you don’t qualify for those two funding streams and the amount available via our own Adaptation Fund is limited.
 
Of course I agree that charter skippers play a really important role in Irish tourism – our research shows that on-the-water sight seeing experiences are among the most compelling and attractive activities for visitors to Ireland.
 
I am communicating your frustration with the support being made available to your sector to our tourism recovery taskforce who are advocating on behalf of tourism at government level. I have done this before and am doing it again today to ensure they are aware of the pressure you and your colleagues are under.
 
Again I’m sorry we can’t offer more at the moment but this crisis is far from over and more supports will be coming down the line so its important to keep banging the drum to ensure you are heard, not just with ourselves but with your own Minster and local representatives.
 
Will keep in touch.
 
Fionnán Nestor
Projects Officer, Wild Atlantic Way | Fáilte Ireland
Discover Ireland Centre, Bridge Street, Westport, Co. Mayo F28 NF77
T +353 (0)98 51502 | M +353 (0)86 048 1877 | www.failteireland.ie
________________________________________________________

From: Donal Kennedy <[email protected]>
Date: 29/08/2020 09:36:07
Subject: Re: Other grants and funding
To: Fionnan Nestor <[email protected]>

Hi Fionnan

Thanks for the info.

Can not see anything that we can apply for. We are basically sole traders.
I fear that we are going to have charter skippers going broke and not continuing with their business next year. Loss of dedicated and licensed skippers will have a big impact on the tourist trade and boat competitions nationwide. Does anybody care?

Regards

Donal

________________________________________________________


On 27/08/2020 11:12:10, Fionnan Nestor <[email protected]> wrote:
Hi Donal,
 
I am no sure if you would be eligible for either of the following as they sit with other departments but I would suggest you take a look and see as I’d be surprised if you can not draw down from one of them…
 
Restart Grant Plus
https://dbei.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Supports-for-SMEs/COVID-19-supports/COVID-19-Restart-Grant-Local-Authority-Websites.html
Grants of between €4,000 up to a maximum of €25,000 are available.
 
To qualify for the scheme, enterprises must have:

• 250 employees or less;
• Turnover of less than €100,000 per employee; and
• Reduced turnover by 25% as a result of COVID-19

 
Under the Restart Grant Plus scheme, support will also be provided for enterprises that could not access the original grant scheme, including rateable sports businesses and trading charity shops. Non-rated B&Bs will be eligible for a grant payment of €4,000.
 
Details about the Restart Grant Plus

• The grant will be based on the amount of the rates assessment for the premises for 2019 (excluding arrears) with a new minimum grant of €4,000 and a maximum grant of €25,000 (Increased from €2,000 min and €10,000 max).
• Eligible firms now include medium-sized firms and independent hotels with up to 250 employees, as well as small firms (increased from 50 employees).
• Businesses impacted by a 25% reduction in turnover will be eligible provided they commit to reopening and to hiring and sustaining employment.
• A turnover of up to €25m is now allowable, increased from €5m. There is a cap of €100,000 turnover per employee.
• Commercial sports businesses and trading charity shops in rated premises can now apply for the grant. 
• The hospitality sector, restaurants, pubs, activity centres and tourist attractions, for example, galleries, museums, are eligible if they are operating from a rated premise.
• B&Bs in non-rated premises will be eligible to apply for the minimum €4,000 grant from Fáilte Ireland. 
• A franchisee which is a financially independent company and is completely separate to the franchisor is eligible to apply.
• Small company chains can apply if they meet the criteria of <250 employees and €25m turnover in totality across the company and all the branches.
• Multinationals are not eligible. Small Irish based subsidiaries with overseas parent companies are not eligible.
• Large chains that are part of a large group company, that is, one legal entity with a number of branches, such as fast food, group and multiple supermarkets, group hotels, group betting shops and group pharmacies are not eligible.

 
 
Enterprise Support Grant
https://www.gov.ie/en/service/739f3-enterprise-support-grant-for-buisnesses-impacted-by-covid-19/#what-the-enterprise-support-grant-for-businesses-impacted-by-covid-19-is
The Enterprise Support Grant is available to assist eligible self-employed recipients who close their COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment on or after 18 May 2020. This will provide business owners with a once-off grant of up to €1,000 to restart 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 18 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 the COVID-19 Business Restart Grant or similar COVID-19 business restart grants from other government departments
• can produce VAT receipts/invoices in respect of business restart costs and expenses claimed, if requested to do so by the department

 
Fionnán Nestor
Projects Officer, Wild Atlantic Way | Fáilte Ireland
Discover Ireland Centre, Bridge Street, Westport, Co. Mayo F28 NF77
T +353 (0)98 51502 | M +353 (0)86 048 1877 | www.failteireland.ie

---