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The Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme has been extended until the 31st December 2021 with further supports and a new scheme announced for struggling businesses.The new Business Resumption Support Scheme will provide additional business support for businesses with reduced turnover. Further details will be implemented in September 2021Tax debt warehousing will also be extended. Read the full Press Release below;

Minister Donohoe announces further economic supports for businesses as they re-openFrom Department of FinancePublished on 1 June 2021Following the Government meeting today (Tuesday), the Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe, T.D., has announced the following set of measures to provide support to businesses as they re-open and resume normal trading:• The extension of the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme to 31 December 2021;• The extension and enhancement of the Covid Restrictions Support Scheme to provide additional support to businesses upon re-opening and to give certainty to businesses still directly affected by public health restrictions;• A new additional business support scheme (Business Resumption Support Scheme or BRSS) for businesses with reduced turnover as a result of public health restrictions to be implemented in September 2021;• The extension of the tax debt warehousing scheme to allow the period where liabilities arising can be “warehoused” to be extended to the end of 2021 for all eligible taxpayers, with an interest-free period during 2022, and to include overpayments of EWSS in the scheme;• The Government agreed to the drafting of legislation to provide for these measures.These measures will provide certainty to businesses as public health restrictions are lifted and allow them to plan for the future as they re-open and resume normal trading.Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme:The EWSS continues to represent a substantial and key part of the Government response to the Covid-19 pandemic, supporting businesses, encouraging employment, and helping to maintain the link between employers and employees.As of the week ending 27 May, a total of €3.835 billion has been spent under the scheme of which €3.293 billion relates to direct subsidies and €0.542 billion relates to Employers’ PRSI foregone.For Q3, the Government has decided to broadly maintain the status quo for EWSS, including the enhanced rates of support and the reduced rate of Employers’ PRSI with a modification to widen eligibility.For Q4, the Government has approved the extension of the EWSS, however, it is considered too early yet to prescribe the precise operational parameters of the scheme that should apply for that quarter, and decisions in that regard would be taken closer to the time around the end of August / early September.Covid Restrictions Support Scheme:The Covid Restriction Support Scheme (CRSS) has been an extremely successful intervention by the Government to provide support to businesses whose customers are prevented from accessing their premises because of Public Health restrictions.The CRSS in its current form will be continued to the end of 2021 for the reducing number of businesses that are still directly affected by public health restrictions that may remain in place. The qualification criteria and payment rates will remain unchanged.The Government will also provide for an enhanced restart week payment – a single payment of three double weeks to businesses upon re-opening (subject to a maximum of €30,000). This will provide additional support to the businesses in restocking and making the necessary preparations to welcome their customers back in a safe manner.This enhanced restart payment is intended to incentivise them to exit the scheme and return to trading as early as possible.Business Resumption Support Scheme:As the economy re-opens, a further scheme is being introduced for vulnerable but viable businesses, particularly in sectors that were significantly impacted throughout the pandemic, even during periods when restrictions were eased.Businesses whose turnover is reduced by 75% in the reference period (1 September 2020 to 31 August 2021) compared with 2019 will be eligible. The scheme will not be restricted by location, rate-paying, or physical premises. It is expected that there will be a limited number of such businesses and recognised that it is important that such businesses are supported.Businesses who previously availed of other schemes such as SBASC and the Tourism Business Continuity Scheme for example as well as CRSS will be eligible to apply provided they meet the qualifying criteria.The BRSS will be administered by Revenue and will operate in a similar way to CRSS.Tax Warehousing:The tax debt warehousing scheme has provided approximately €2.3 billion of liquidity to Irish businesses at a time that they need it most. The scheme is now being extended to the end of this year, with no interest during 2022 and interest at a reduced rate of 3% thereafter.Speaking on the overall package of measures, the Minister said“The Government and I have committed on multiple occasions that there will be no “cliff-edge” to supports for business. We are now taking decisive actions to provide businesses with clarity and certainty on their situation as they reopen, as far as it is possible to do so with the uncertain situation in relation to public health.”Official link; <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/63fc8-minister-donohoe-announces-further-economic-supports-for-businesses-as-they-re-open/">https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/63fc8-minister-donohoe-announces-further-economic-supports-for-businesses-as-they-re-open/</a>

Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme Extended

<h2>Dáil Motion re Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme - Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe TD</h2>From Department of Finance By: Minister for Finance; Paschal DonohoePublished on 3 February 2021The Dáil Motion outlined the following;Following a robust debate last week on the Covid Restriction Support Scheme, a resolution for debate was sought for the approval of the House for another order which also deals with the challenges faced by businesses across the economy arising from the Level 5 public health restrictions.This order provides for additional support to be given under the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme, the EWSS.This enhancement to the EWSS is in the context of unprecedented levels of support that are being provided by the Government to assist businesses and workers in Ireland through this pandemic.To date, additional expenditure of well over €10 billion has been paid out with more planned still in 2021 to sustain businesses and help people to manage financially in the midst of these very difficult times:<ul><li>Sums of over €1 billion have been approved for over 50,000 businesses under the range of measures that the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar TD, has put in place to support businesses through loan and loan guarantees schemes, grant schemes and specific business training and advisory services;</li><li>Supports are also available to assist businesses in moving online, in adapting to changed circumstances and also when they are restarting as restrictions are lifted;</li><li>The Revenue Commissioners have also assisted businesses through the debt warehousing schemes with 70,000 businesses putting tax liabilities of almost €2 billion into the schemes;</li><li>As of 28 January 2021, 58,300 claims for payments of €244.2 million in respect of 20,100 premises have been made under the CRSS;</li><li>Nearly €6 billion has been spent on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (the PUP) to support workers and their families with nearly half a million people receiving a payment last month.</li></ul>In addition to the above, the wage subsidy schemes have been a central pillar of the Government’s response to the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, supporting viable firms and encouraging employment. To that end it is an important bridge between social welfare payments like the PUP and regular employment which is the ultimate goal.The Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme, or TWSS, was in place from March until the end of August 2020. Over 66,500 employers received subsidy payments of almost €2.9 billion in respect of over 664,000 employees.To date, over 44,800 employers and 505,600 employees have been supported by the EWSS with direct subsidies of over €1.7 billion being paid out and PRSI credit of €303 million being granted by the 28 January 2021.Although it is noted that this scale of support cannot continue indefinitely, the Government continues to assess the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on businesses and the economy and I will continue to work with Ministerial colleagues to ensure that appropriate supports are in place to minimise the negative effects insofar as is possible.The EWSS is an economy wide support open to all sectors, with the primary employer qualification based on the employer’s turnover in the current six month period being less compared with the same pre-pandemic period in 2019.The legislation provides that the employer must be able to demonstrate that they are operating at no more than 70% in either the turnover of the employer’s business or the customer orders received by the employer by reference to the period from 1 January to 30 June 2021 compared with the same period in 2019.The EWSS is designed to be flexible for the employer and take account of potentially sudden changes in turnover so if there is a reduction in turnover in the future because of a change in circumstance the employer may be entitled to make a claim for that later period.The EWSS is administered by Revenue and payments are made as soon as practicable, typically within 2 working days after payroll to minimise cashflow concerns for employers when paying wages.I would like to take the opportunity in the House today to acknowledge the efficiency with which Revenue has been operating the scheme, which has been extremely effective at getting support to employers quickly.The level of subsidy given to the employer is based on the number of paid workers on the payroll per week, and a flat-rate per head value is applied based on prospective pay levels so that claims may be made for new hires and seasonal workers.Following the re-introduction of Level 5 restrictions in October 2020, the Government decided that from 20 October 2020 the EWSS subsidy would be up to €350 per week in line with the levels of payments given under the PUP scheme. As a result, the weekly rates of subsidy payable to the employer are as follows:<ul><li>€203 per employee paid between €151.50 and €202.99</li><li>€250 per employee paid between €203 and €299.99</li><li>€300 per employee paid between €300 and €399.99</li><li>€350 per employee paid between €400 and €1,462.</li></ul>The subsidy payable is nil for employees paid less than €151.50 and more than €1,462 per week.As set out in Finance Act 2020, the enhanced rates were to be in place until 31 January 2021 after which they were due to return to the original rates of €151.50 for those paid more than €151.50 per week and €203 for those paid more than €203 per week.However, in the context of decisions taken on the latest public health restrictions, at the Government meeting of 6 January 2021 it was decided that the current rates of the EWSS will be maintained until 31 March 2021.This decision is aligned with the retention of the current pay-related rates of payment for the PUP until 31 March 2021.Such alignment is considered essential in that, in the absence of same, there is a risk of migration of employees from EWSS to PUP during the current Level 5 restrictions, thus undermining the purpose of the EWSS.To the maximum extent possible the objective is to maintain a position where as many employees as possible currently on EWSS retain their link with their employer rather than migrate to the PUP and lose their connection with an employer.Recent trends on the EWSS would also indicate that it plays an important role in getting people back work as public health restrictions are eased, thereby reducing the numbers dependent on the PUP.Section 28B of the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Act 2020 provides that, as Minister for Finance, I may vary certain aspect of the scheme by Ministerial Order.The aspects of the scheme that may be amended in this way relate to:<ul><li>the end date of the measure, which may be extended to a date no later than 30 June 2021;</li><li>the rate of subsidy that may apply and the applicable employee income thresholds that such rates would apply to; and</li><li>the criteria of the turnover test that determines qualifying employers.</li></ul>The exercise of this power is subject to specified conditions and the legislation sets out a number of steps to be taken before an Order varying the scheme can be validly made:<ul><li>As Minister for Finance, I have a duty to monitor the EWSS and have regular assessment carried out to determine whether it is necessary to adjust the level of certain elements of the scheme. This would be to ensure the objectives of providing the necessary stimulus to the economy are fulfilled so as to mitigate the effects on the economy of Covid-19, or to facilitate the furtherance of any of the purposes specified in section 28A(3) of that Act, which includes efficient use of Exchequer resources and protection of the public finances.</li><li>Following completion of such an assessment, if the view is formed, having consulted with the Minister for Social Protection and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Public Expenditure, as Minister for Finance I am empowered to amend such elements by way of secondary legislation.</li><li>Such an Order shall not be made unless a draft has to be laid before Dáil Éireann and a resolution approving the draft has to be passed by the House.</li></ul>I can therefore confirm that I intend to exercise the powers conferred by Section 28B of the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Act 2020 and that the following steps have been taken to comply with the legislation:<ul><li>Regular assessments have been carried out noting the utilisation of the EWSS, the continued challenges for the Irish economy arising from the covid-19 pandemic and the Exchequer cost.</li><li>I have formally consulted with his colleagues the Ministers for Social protection and Public Expenditure and Reform and have determined that it is necessary that the current EWSS rates remain in place until 31 March 2021.</li><li>The estimated cost of the extension of the enhanced rates is €38m per week, to be met from the voted expenditure of the Department of Social Protection, noting that this additional cost is considered a subset of the overall cost estimate of the impact of the latest public health restrictions.</li><li>The draft Regulations entitled Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Act 2020 (Covid-19: employment wage subsidy scheme) (Date Adjustment) Order 2021 were laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 22 January 2021.</li></ul>The resolution before the House approves this Order and I commend it to the House.I will conclude by noting that the operation of the EWSS and its effectiveness continues to be kept under close review and, while there are no plans to re-visit the core eligibility criteria for the EWSS at this time, the Government’s position is that there will be no cliff-edge to the EWSS.In that regard it is noted that the legislation implementing the measure provides that it will be in place until 31 March 2021, but also provides that the scheme may be extended until the end of June 2021 if required and subject to the same procedural conditions set out above.It is likely that continued support will be necessary out to the end of 2021 to help maintain viable businesses and employment and to provide businesses with certainty to the maximum extent possible.Decisions on the form of such support will take account of emerging circumstances and economic conditions as they become clearer.Source : <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/speech/52396-dail-motion-re-employment-wage-subsidy-scheme-minister-for-finance-paschal-donohoe-td/" target="_blank">HERE </a>

EWSS may be extended until the end of June 2021 if required

<h1></h1><h2>Dáil Motion re Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme - Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe TD</h2>From Department of Finance By: Minister for Finance; Paschal DonohoePublished on 3 February 2021The Dáil Motion outlined the following;Following a robust debate last week on the Covid Restriction Support Scheme, a resolution for debate was sought for the approval of the House for another order which also deals with the challenges faced by businesses across the economy arising from the Level 5 public health restrictions.This order provides for additional support to be given under the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme, the EWSS.This enhancement to the EWSS is in the context of unprecedented levels of support that are being provided by the Government to assist businesses and workers in Ireland through this pandemic.To date, additional expenditure of well over €10 billion has been paid out with more planned still in 2021 to sustain businesses and help people to manage financially in the midst of these very difficult times:<ul><li>Sums of over €1 billion have been approved for over 50,000 businesses under the range of measures that the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar TD, has put in place to support businesses through loan and loan guarantees schemes, grant schemes and specific business training and advisory services;</li><li>Supports are also available to assist businesses in moving online, in adapting to changed circumstances and also when they are restarting as restrictions are lifted;</li><li>The Revenue Commissioners have also assisted businesses through the debt warehousing schemes with 70,000 businesses putting tax liabilities of almost €2 billion into the schemes;</li><li>As of 28 January 2021, 58,300 claims for payments of €244.2 million in respect of 20,100 premises have been made under the CRSS;</li><li>Nearly €6 billion has been spent on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (the PUP) to support workers and their families with nearly half a million people receiving a payment last month.</li></ul>In addition to the above, the wage subsidy schemes have been a central pillar of the Government’s response to the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, supporting viable firms and encouraging employment. To that end it is an important bridge between social welfare payments like the PUP and regular employment which is the ultimate goal.The Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme, or TWSS, was in place from March until the end of August 2020. Over 66,500 employers received subsidy payments of almost €2.9 billion in respect of over 664,000 employees.To date, over 44,800 employers and 505,600 employees have been supported by the EWSS with direct subsidies of over €1.7 billion being paid out and PRSI credit of €303 million being granted by the 28 January 2021.Although it is noted that this scale of support cannot continue indefinitely, the Government continues to assess the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on businesses and the economy and I will continue to work with Ministerial colleagues to ensure that appropriate supports are in place to minimise the negative effects insofar as is possible.The EWSS is an economy wide support open to all sectors, with the primary employer qualification based on the employer’s turnover in the current six month period being less compared with the same pre-pandemic period in 2019.The legislation provides that the employer must be able to demonstrate that they are operating at no more than 70% in either the turnover of the employer’s business or the customer orders received by the employer by reference to the period from 1 January to 30 June 2021 compared with the same period in 2019.The EWSS is designed to be flexible for the employer and take account of potentially sudden changes in turnover so if there is a reduction in turnover in the future because of a change in circumstance the employer may be entitled to make a claim for that later period.The EWSS is administered by Revenue and payments are made as soon as practicable, typically within 2 working days after payroll to minimise cashflow concerns for employers when paying wages.I would like to take the opportunity in the House today to acknowledge the efficiency with which Revenue has been operating the scheme, which has been extremely effective at getting support to employers quickly.The level of subsidy given to the employer is based on the number of paid workers on the payroll per week, and a flat-rate per head value is applied based on prospective pay levels so that claims may be made for new hires and seasonal workers.Following the re-introduction of Level 5 restrictions in October 2020, the Government decided that from 20 October 2020 the EWSS subsidy would be up to €350 per week in line with the levels of payments given under the PUP scheme. As a result, the weekly rates of subsidy payable to the employer are as follows:<ul><li>€203 per employee paid between €151.50 and €202.99</li><li>€250 per employee paid between €203 and €299.99</li><li>€300 per employee paid between €300 and €399.99</li><li>€350 per employee paid between €400 and €1,462.</li></ul>The subsidy payable is nil for employees paid less than €151.50 and more than €1,462 per week.As set out in Finance Act 2020, the enhanced rates were to be in place until 31 January 2021 after which they were due to return to the original rates of €151.50 for those paid more than €151.50 per week and €203 for those paid more than €203 per week.However, in the context of decisions taken on the latest public health restrictions, at the Government meeting of 6 January 2021 it was decided that the current rates of the EWSS will be maintained until 31 March 2021.This decision is aligned with the retention of the current pay-related rates of payment for the PUP until 31 March 2021.Such alignment is considered essential in that, in the absence of same, there is a risk of migration of employees from EWSS to PUP during the current Level 5 restrictions, thus undermining the purpose of the EWSS.To the maximum extent possible the objective is to maintain a position where as many employees as possible currently on EWSS retain their link with their employer rather than migrate to the PUP and lose their connection with an employer.Recent trends on the EWSS would also indicate that it plays an important role in getting people back work as public health restrictions are eased, thereby reducing the numbers dependent on the PUP.Section 28B of the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Act 2020 provides that, as Minister for Finance, I may vary certain aspect of the scheme by Ministerial Order.The aspects of the scheme that may be amended in this way relate to:<ul><li>the end date of the measure, which may be extended to a date no later than 30 June 2021;</li><li>the rate of subsidy that may apply and the applicable employee income thresholds that such rates would apply to; and</li><li>the criteria of the turnover test that determines qualifying employers.</li></ul>The exercise of this power is subject to specified conditions and the legislation sets out a number of steps to be taken before an Order varying the scheme can be validly made:<ul><li>As Minister for Finance, I have a duty to monitor the EWSS and have regular assessment carried out to determine whether it is necessary to adjust the level of certain elements of the scheme. This would be to ensure the objectives of providing the necessary stimulus to the economy are fulfilled so as to mitigate the effects on the economy of Covid-19, or to facilitate the furtherance of any of the purposes specified in section 28A(3) of that Act, which includes efficient use of Exchequer resources and protection of the public finances.</li><li>Following completion of such an assessment, if the view is formed, having consulted with the Minister for Social Protection and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Public Expenditure, as Minister for Finance I am empowered to amend such elements by way of secondary legislation.</li><li>Such an Order shall not be made unless a draft has to be laid before Dáil Éireann and a resolution approving the draft has to be passed by the House.</li></ul>I can therefore confirm that I intend to exercise the powers conferred by Section 28B of the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Act 2020 and that the following steps have been taken to comply with the legislation:<ul><li>Regular assessments have been carried out noting the utilisation of the EWSS, the continued challenges for the Irish economy arising from the covid-19 pandemic and the Exchequer cost.</li><li>I have formally consulted with his colleagues the Ministers for Social protection and Public Expenditure and Reform and have determined that it is necessary that the current EWSS rates remain in place until 31 March 2021.</li><li>The estimated cost of the extension of the enhanced rates is €38m per week, to be met from the voted expenditure of the Department of Social Protection, noting that this additional cost is considered a subset of the overall cost estimate of the impact of the latest public health restrictions.</li><li>The draft Regulations entitled Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Act 2020 (Covid-19: employment wage subsidy scheme) (Date Adjustment) Order 2021 were laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 22 January 2021.</li></ul>The resolution before the House approves this Order and I commend it to the House.I will conclude by noting that the operation of the EWSS and its effectiveness continues to be kept under close review and, while there are no plans to re-visit the core eligibility criteria for the EWSS at this time, the Government’s position is that there will be no cliff-edge to the EWSS.In that regard it is noted that the legislation implementing the measure provides that it will be in place until 31 March 2021, but also provides that the scheme may be extended until the end of June 2021 if required and subject to the same procedural conditions set out above.It is likely that continued support will be necessary out to the end of 2021 to help maintain viable businesses and employment and to provide businesses with certainty to the maximum extent possible.Decisions on the form of such support will take account of emerging circumstances and economic conditions as they become clearer.Source :<a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/speech/52396-dail-motion-re-employment-wage-subsidy-scheme-minister-for-finance-paschal-donohoe-td/" target="_blank"> HERE </a>

Gov extends subsidy rates for the EWSS 

<h2>Are you an IDA backed Small and Medium Enterprise located in Ireland?</h2>The Department of Business, Enterprise, and Innovation and its Agencies, working with Ireland’s service providers, has developed supports to help companies respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. These supports cover management consulting and training of staff under a government backed Business Continuity Support (BCS) and is targeted at IDA small and medium companies located in Ireland.In addition to the normal supports that are provided to businesses through IDA Ireland, a new support for business continuity is also available. It focuses on two specific areas:<h3></h3><h3>Management team consultancy</h3>This will be a one-to-one consultancy or a one-to-team consultancy with a competent provider to talk through issues related to the COVID19 or to support the development of the site’s Contingency planning, or Business Continuity Planning.<h3>Training for staff</h3>Where clients need to continue to communicate and engage with their employees and provide guidance and training to them in any aspect associated with COVID19, this can also be achieved through on-line webinars and discussion guided by a trained facilitator.<h3>Companies eligible to apply</h3>This support is open to all IDA clients that need additional help and guidance to manage their operations during this pandemic. Predominantly, these will be companies in the IDA portfolio that do not have large international Business Continuity teams in place.<h3>What do the Supports cover?</h3>You can get help to manage your operations through the crisis period to create<ul><li>Defence – Defending against the spread of the virus</li><li>Exposure – Management and reduction of detected on site cases</li><li>Recovery – Recovery of processes and business functions after detection</li></ul><h3></h3><h3>Who delivers these supports?</h3>We have sourced a range of consultants that have some experience and competence to help you in this time of crisis. Some have international experience of epidemics elsewhere and some have national experience of crisis in particular sectors here in Ireland.<h3></h3><h3>Funding</h3>Funding is available for up to 33 days of consultancy or training to a maximum of €29,700 excluding VAT. This is 100% grant aided by IDA for IDA clients. IDA clients will need to pay the VAT to the service provider on submission of an invoice from them. <h3>Consultancy &amp; Training</h3>Some of the areas that the consultants and training can cover are:<ul><li>Crisis management-building rapid deployment capability</li><li>Hygiene system and deployment of same</li><li>Contact tracing and management</li><li>Management of people through a crisis – communicating/Handling issues</li><li>Coaching/mentor support for Leaders and Staff on mitigation and reduction actions</li><li>Virtual Risk assessments on sites and reducing risks of contamination</li><li>Preparing for external assessment eg by HSE/Department of Agriculture Food and Marine</li><li>Rapid response to emergency situations eg rapidly disinfecting at pace</li><li>Dealing with challenging logistics</li><li>Carrying out risk assessments for business continuity</li><li>Managing and supporting potentially compromised sub supply network</li><li>Development of alternative uses for company site in the event of reduced demand for current products and services</li><li>Redefining strategy resulting from reduced demand for current products and services</li><li>Managing sub-contractors and suppliers</li><li>Developing rapid understanding of market requirements post crisis and how to generate new business where existing business has been diminished by COVID19</li><li>Sourcing alternative distribution channels and logistics</li><li>Preparing for ramp up post crisis</li></ul>This is not an exhaustive list and companies should contact IDA Ireland Project Executive to find the right support depending on specific company needsThe IDA have been supporting Foreign Direct Investment companies in Ireland since 1995 with operations in Ireland, Canada, and Australia. They look forward to discussing your requirements and how they can help add value in areas such as supply chain optimisation, streamlining of processes, Agile training, change management and business strategy. Please click <a href="https://www.idaireland.com/how-we-help" target="_blank">HERE</a> to get more information.

IDA back Small and Medium Enterprises

<h2>Are you an IDA backed Small and Medium Enterprise located in Ireland?</h2>The Department of Business, Enterprise, and Innovation and its Agencies, working with Ireland’s service providers, has developed supports to help companies respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. These supports cover management consulting and training of staff under a government backed Business Continuity Support (BCS) and is targeted at IDA small and medium companies located in Ireland.In addition to the normal supports that are provided to businesses through IDA Ireland, a new support for business continuity is also available. It focuses on two specific areas:<h3></h3><h3>Management team consultancy</h3>This will be a one-to-one consultancy or a one-to-team consultancy with a competent provider to talk through issues related to the COVID19 or to support the development of the site’s Contingency planning, or Business Continuity Planning.<h3>Training for staff</h3>Where clients need to continue to communicate and engage with their employees and provide guidance and training to them in any aspect associated with COVID19, this can also be achieved through on-line webinars and discussion guided by a trained facilitator.<h3>Companies eligible to apply</h3>This support is open to all IDA clients that need additional help and guidance to manage their operations during this pandemic. Predominantly, these will be companies in the IDA portfolio that do not have large international Business Continuity teams in place.<h3>What do the Supports cover?</h3>You can get help to manage your operations through the crisis period to create<ul><li>Defence – Defending against the spread of the virus</li><li>Exposure – Management and reduction of detected on site cases</li><li>Recovery – Recovery of processes and business functions after detection</li></ul><h3></h3><h3>Who delivers these supports?</h3>We have sourced a range of consultants that have some experience and competence to help you in this time of crisis. Some have international experience of epidemics elsewhere and some have national experience of crisis in particular sectors here in Ireland.<h3></h3><h3>Funding</h3>Funding is available for up to 33 days of consultancy or training to a maximum of €29,700 excluding VAT. This is 100% grant aided by IDA for IDA clients. IDA clients will need to pay the VAT to the service provider on submission of an invoice from them. <h3>Consultancy &amp; Training</h3>Some of the areas that the consultants and training can cover are:<ul><li>Crisis management-building rapid deployment capability</li><li>Hygiene system and deployment of same</li><li>Contact tracing and management</li><li>Management of people through a crisis – communicating/Handling issues</li><li>Coaching/mentor support for Leaders and Staff on mitigation and reduction actions</li><li>Virtual Risk assessments on sites and reducing risks of contamination</li><li>Preparing for external assessment eg by HSE/Department of Agriculture Food and Marine</li><li>Rapid response to emergency situations eg rapidly disinfecting at pace</li><li>Dealing with challenging logistics</li><li>Carrying out risk assessments for business continuity</li><li>Managing and supporting potentially compromised sub supply network</li><li>Development of alternative uses for company site in the event of reduced demand for current products and services</li><li>Redefining strategy resulting from reduced demand for current products and services</li><li>Managing sub-contractors and suppliers</li><li>Developing rapid understanding of market requirements post crisis and how to generate new business where existing business has been diminished by COVID19</li><li>Sourcing alternative distribution channels and logistics</li><li>Preparing for ramp up post crisis</li></ul>This is not an exhaustive list and companies should contact IDA Ireland Project Executive to find the right support depending on specific company needsThe IDA have been supporting Foreign Direct Investment companies in Ireland since 1995 with operations in Ireland, Canada, and Australia. They look forward to discussing your requirements and how they can help add value in areas such as supply chain optimisation, streamlining of processes, Agile training, change management and business strategy. Please click <a href="https://www.idaireland.com/how-we-help" target="_blank">HERE</a> to get more information.

IDA back Small and Medium Enterprises impacted by Covid-19

Mind yourself during lockdown. Hopefully the following tips will help;- Remember you can only try your best, this is new to us all. We are all learning as we go.- Properly disconnect if and when you can, switch off devices unless they’re really necessary. - Take a walk, without the phone.- Check in with family, friends and work colleagues now and then, just to just ask how they are.- If you get any spare time wrap yourself in a warm blanket and read a book.- Make sure to do something fun each day, if you have a pet play fetch with them, if you have children why not play a board game or teach them how to play cards.- Breath - try the <a href="https://www.wimhofmethod.com/" target="_blank">Wim Hof method</a> – for breathing exercises.- Get in the sea/lake or take a cold shower to reset the mind.- Develop a night routine before bed - 1 hour before bedtime no screens (TV, phone), stretch, meditate, read fiction (hardback).- To also help with sleep, cut out caffeine for a couple of days and see can you notice a difference.Remember this storm will pass<ul></ul><ul>Graphic: The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse - Charlie Mackesy</ul>

This Storm will Pass

Have you tapped the huge potential in telling as many people as possible that you know personally about your job search? This is especially worthwhile in such a small country like Ireland where if you don’t already know somebody in your desired industry or job, you probably know somebody who knows somebody. This might sound like the headbangers whose claim to fame is that their sister’s fourth cousin’s uncle is the president of Ireland. But hold your cynicism for a second. Any human connection is better than no connection. People like to work with, hire, do business with people they already know including people who the people they know, know! This is about trust. Those who can be even reasonably trusted get more doors opened for them and faster. But this won’t happen by itself. First we need to make an ask. In other words, let people know we&#x27;re on the lookout for opportunities so that they can open them for us. Or they can connect us with their friends who can.People love to help. It’s important we reframe this idea of asking for help. Think of it this way. By asking for help we are giving people the opportunity to help us. When we consider how much meaning, purpose, and how much of a kick we get out of helping others, why not give this same feeling to them by asking for a hand? Of course there’s a difference between making an ask and being a pain in the ass. As long as we show initiative and don’t expect others to do all of the heavy lifting for us, people are always happy to help.In order to make an ask we first need to have a general sense of what we are asking for. We don’t even need to be specific. For example, we don’t need to know that our former colleague has a sister who could get us an interview with a company we’d like to work for. How could we possibly know that information anyway? However we do need to have a strong sense of a general direction from our side. This direction might be knowing what role we’d like to work at, what industry we’d like to start in, the people or company we’d like to work for or even the location we’d like to be employed in. All we need is one general sense of our desire. After that it’s about naturally expressing this desire with as many people as you can. Not in the sense of complaining that we are not there yet. Nobody wants to listen to or help a moaning Michael. Instead with a sense of excitement about the possibility of your desire becoming a reality. That’s all we need to do. We often underestimate the power of speaking our desire. Perhaps no opportunities arise the first few times. But each time we speak our desire, we become clearer and clearer on what it is we want. On top of that, those we talk to can help us see different routes towards our goals we might never have considered. People are inherently helpful. When we affirm their good qualities and put things out there by making an ask, we can be surprised by how opportunities will seem to unfold out of nowhere.

Making an ask - An unconventional approach to your next job

Paddy O' Leary

<h1></h1><h2><h2>Workers affected by updated Level 5 restrictions advised to apply for Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) ONLINE to ensure payment is made as quickly as possible.</h2></h2>Today, the Government reintroduced Level 5 restrictions of the Plan for Living with Covid across the country. These restrictions come into effect at midnight 30th December and will remain in place until 31st January 2021.The measures taken will have an impact on the economic life of the country and consequently people whose jobs are affected by the restrictions can avail of income support through the Pandemic Unemployment Payment for the period they are out of work.Minister Humphreys said:<blockquote>“The decision taken by Government today reflects the seriousness of the situation we currently face. I recognise that this decision will have an impact on people’s livelihoods and this is why I want to remind people who have lost their job that they should apply for PUP income support. The quickest and easiest way to do so is online via <a href="www.MyWelfare.ie" target="_blank">www.MyWelfare.ie</a>”</blockquote>The Minister continued:<blockquote>“I have put arrangements in place to ensure that those who require PUP income support will, provided they are eligible, receive this as quickly as possible.”</blockquote>People who have been made unemployed from 30th December and who apply online by 5pm on 31st December will receive a payment on Tuesday 5th January once they are eligible.People who are diagnosed with the Covid-19 virus or who have to self-isolate and are medically certified by their doctor, also have the option of applying for the Enhanced Illness Benefit online at <a href="www.MyWelfare.ie" target="_blank">www.MyWelfare.ie</a>.Full information on the Enhanced Illness Benefit is available here. To contact the Department of Social Protection by phone, the helpline number is 1890 800 024, from 9.00am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays).To find out what supports are available for me during the COVID-19 pandemic go to <a href="https://services.mywelfare.ie/en/topics/covid-19-payments/" target="_blank">www.MyWelfare.ie </a>or go to the Citizens Information website <a href="https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/covid19/covid19_overview.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> <a href="https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/covid19/covid19_overview.html" target="_blank"></a>

Apply online for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment 

The government has today agreed that Level 5 as set out in the Plan for Living with COVID-19 will apply nationally.This will come into effect at midnight tonight, 30 December for all measures, with the exception of non-essential retail and gyms, leisure centres and swimming pools. These businesses should close from close of business on 31 December. Level 5 restrictions will remain in place until midnight on 31 January 2021.The government has considered a number of factors in arriving at this decision, particularly NPHET concerns that the epidemiological profile of COVID-19 has continued to deteriorate very substantially.It is recognised that this decision will have an impact on people’s lives and livelihoods, but the clear message is that we must all now stay at home, with the exception of essential purposes, in order to stop the spread of the virus. Supports such as the PUP and the CRSS will continue to be made available to those impacted. A double payment of the CRSS, up to a maximum of €5,000 a week will be available to those subject to restrictions this week and next week. Furthermore, businesses affected will be able to avail of commercial rates relief for the first three months of 2021. The Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) is also available to help maintain people in jobs, along with extensive tax warehousing arrangements, reduced VAT rates, the spend and stay scheme, a range of reduced cost loans, grants and voucher schemes.The government further agreed that the ban on air travel and passenger travel on ferries from the UK will be extended to 6 January. As a similar new strain has been identified in South Africa, this ban will also apply to South Africa until 6 January.<h2>Overview of restrictions</h2><h3>Family and social gatherings</h3><ul><li>no visitors are permitted in private homes/gardens (except for essential family reasons such as providing care to children, elderly or vulnerable people, or as part of a support bubble)</li><li>no social/family gatherings should take place in other settings</li><li>people may meet with people from one other household in outdoor settings when taking exercise</li></ul><h3>Weddings and funerals</h3><ul><li>weddings planned up to and including 2 January may proceed as planned, up to a maximum of 25 guests. Weddings from 3 January may proceed, but with a maximum of 6 guests</li><li>funerals may have up to 10 mourners</li></ul><h3>Domestic travel restrictions</h3><ul><li>people will be required to stay at home except for travel for work, education or other essential purposes, and will be permitted to take exercise within 5km of home</li><li>people away from their place of residence on 31 December will be permitted to return to their place of residence</li></ul><h3>Retail and personal services</h3><ul><li>all retail, other than essential retail must close from close of business on 31 December</li><li>all non-essential services remain closed</li><li>click and collect services will be available</li></ul><h3>Work</h3><ul><li>work from home unless essential for work which is an essential health, social care or other essential service and cannot be done from home</li></ul><h3>Schools, early learning and childcare services, higher and adult education</h3><ul><li>early learning and childcare services open with protective measures</li><li>schools open from 11 January with further review on precise situation in advance of that date</li><li>higher, further and adult education should remain primarily online</li></ul><h1>Statement by An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin on the re-introduction of Level 5 restrictions of the Plan for Living with COVID-19</h1><h1></h1>From Department of the Taoiseach By: An Taoiseach; Micheál MartinPublished on 30 December 2020Just eight days ago, I stood here and explained why we needed to introduce a range of strict new controls in the effort to curb this latest wave of COVID infections.I explained that while we didn’t, at that stage, have evidence that the new, more virulent strain of COVID was in our country, the safest and most responsible thing to do was to proceed on the assumption that it was already here.Unfortunately, that fear proved to be correct.On Christmas Eve, we received the news we had feared – confirmation that the new strain is indeed in our country.While international research into this new variant is ongoing, it is already very clear that we are dealing with a strain of the disease that spreads much, much more quickly.Indeed, it is spreading at a rate that has surpassed the most pessimistic models available to us.With the disease spreading much faster, the threat of our health system being overwhelmed and the risk of increased sickness and death among our vulnerable and older populations is obvious.And it has become urgent.In the week before Christmas, we were seeing about 5% of tests coming back as COVID-positive.Yesterday, 18% of those tested were infected with the disease.Over the last seven days, more than 8,000 cases have been confirmed. That is a 61% increase on the previous week.This latest surge is different to the second wave. We are seeing rising incidence of the disease across all age groups, especially those aged 19-24 and a very worrying increase among those aged 65 and older.During the second wave, there was a long delay between an increase in cases and an increase in hospital admissions.This time is very different.We are already seeing a sharp rise in the number of hospital admissions. This morning, there were 454 COVID patients in hospital. It has almost doubled in a week.The Reproduction number is currently estimated at between 1.6 and 1.8.The situation is extremely serious.The numbers will deteriorate further over the coming days.As we have navigated the different phases of this crisis together, I have always been clear that we will do what we need to do to suppress the virus when it is growing;and it is now growing exponentially.The truth is, that with the presence of the new strain and the pace of growth, this is not a time for nuance in our response.We must apply the brakes to movement and physical interaction across the country.We must return to full scale, Level 5 restrictions for a period of at least one month.In practice, that will mean the following further restrictions:<ul><li>from this evening, no visitors are permitted in private homes or gardens, unless they are providing care to children, the elderly or vulnerable, or are part of a support bubble</li></ul><ul><li>no social or family gatherings should take place in any setting. There will be an exemption for weddings, where up to 6 guests will be allowed, and funerals, where up to 10 mourners will be allowed</li></ul><ul><li>you should stay at home, except for travel for work, education or other essential purposes, or to take exercise within 5km of home</li></ul><ul><li>all non-essential retail and gyms will close tomorrow at close of business</li></ul><ul><li>all public health analysis is showing that schools are safe, and schools will reopen, but slightly delayed to 11th January</li></ul><ul><li>by extending the break by 3 days the new restrictions I am announcing this evening will be in place for more than 10 days when schools open. Families will have had an opportunity to ensure that their contacts are minimised before children return to school.</li></ul>The last time that we faced such restrictive measures was when this disease first exploded in our midst in early 2020.I am deeply conscious that we are in a very different space now.We are all weary, from the bottom of our hearts, of this disease and the impact it has had on our lives.The next month, as we face into these strictest controls in the depth of winter, is going to be very tough for everyone.But there is another key difference between then and now.After a year of the most extraordinary effort by the most talented scientific minds on earth, we have safe and effective vaccines.We have the most technologically advanced factories in history working around the clock producing this life saving intervention, and we have a global supply chain distributing it around the world.For the first time since this awful disease landed on our shores, we truly have an end in sight.Thousands of vaccines are arriving here weekly, and by the end of January, I am confident that many tens of thousands of our most vulnerable citizens and our healthcare workers will have been vaccinated.The vaccines are now being administered efficiently and safely, but this will take time. The virus can still do immense damage until we have progressed much, much further with the vaccination programme.We are a society that looks out for the people around us.And what we are doing now with these new restrictions is working to keep as many of our parents, grandparents, neighbours and friends safe until such time as they have been vaccinated.This disease and the response it requires is causing massive disruption to our society and it is undermining our economy.It is having an effect on the mental health of young and old that we will not understand for some time to come.It is costing billions of Euro.But the most important responsibility that we all share is to protect the lives of those we love.The actions that we are taking – as a society and as individuals – is saving lives.We will rebuild the economy, we will repair the damage to our society.We will come to terms with this crisis and make sense of the trauma we have all been through in due course.We will do all these things, and we will start them this coming year, because the vaccine now exists.But right now, this is what we must do.We must stay at home and eliminate contact with others now, to make sure that as many of our people as possible are still with us to enjoy the better, brighter days that are up ahead.<blockquote>Beidh spiorad na meithle, aire, cúram agus foighne ag teastáil san míonna amach romhainn go dtí go dtiocfaidh éifeacht na vaisciní i bhfeidhm. Idir an dalinn, caithfimid a bheith ciallmhar agus cúramach agusna srianta Leibhéal a Cúig seo a leanúint. Táim cinntego dtiocfaimid slán. Caithfimid a bheith dóchasach.</blockquote><blockquote>Mar a deir an seanfhocal, is é an dóchas lia gach anró.</blockquote><blockquote>Beannachtaí na hAthbhliana oraibh uilig.</blockquote>Go raibh maith agaibh.Source: https://www.gov.ie/en/publications/

Level 5 to come into effect midnight 30th December 2020

2020, the year of Lockdowns, adjusting to working from home, losing jobs, losing loved ones, home schooling, staying away from family and friends, travel plans dashed.  It’s affected us all differently – but one thing for sure is that none of us have escaped being impacted in some way or other.  During the Christmas break it could be a great time to disconnect, recharge the batteries and take time out for yourself.Hopefully the following tips will help; - Properly disconnect, switch off devices unless they’re really necessary. - Take a walk, without the phone.- Only send crucial messages or emails to your staff or work colleagues.- Wrap yourself in a warm blanket and read a book.- Bake cookies.- Que the music – line up all your favourites.- Play a board game.- Put on your favourite Christmas Movie.- Breath - try the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tybOi4hjZFQ&amp;list=PLIv3RMSL1EWaTO17ptnaWdcooou4rfrgz&amp;ab_channel=WimHof" target="_blank">Wim Hof method</a> – for breathing exercises.- Get in the sea/lake or take a cold shower to reset the mind.- Develop a night routine before bed - 1 hour before bedtime no screens (TV, phone), stretch, meditate, read fiction (hardback). - To also help with sleep, cut out caffeine for a couple of days and see can you notice a difference.Whatever you decide to do, have a wonderful break this Christmas, keep the spirits up and hopefully 2021 will be kinder to us all.<ul> </ul>Mind yourself, Love from the JobAlert.ie Team

Tips on how you can be kind to yourself over Christmas & New Year

This article is the second of a series of four articles titled ‘An unconventional approach to your next job’ dropping each week for the rest of December. “What do you do?” We’ve all heard and asked this question too many times than we’d like to remember. Some might say it’s a way to get a sense of who somebody is, what they’re about. It helps in continuing the conversation when we meet new people in the hopes that what they do is somehow fundamental to who they are. While our work can be the source of great meaning and purpose in our lives, we are not our job. We are not the amount of hours we clock in, the money we’re paid or even the things we get paid for. We as individuals and our lives are not defined by how we happen to make a living. A job also doesn’t need to provide us with all we want out of life. If we are to wait around until we find the perfect job that ticks all of our boxes, we might sooner end up in a box before we find what we’re looking for. We are not saying that a job isn’t important. Of course it is. But as most of us during this last year are beginning to realize, there is much more to life than what we get paid for. So instead of asking “what do you do?”, we might ask “what do you create?”. If you find yourself or the other person giving you a knee-jerk bullshit response, in some form of “I’m not creative”, it is your responsibility to rid them of this self-limiting belief immediately. Creating or being creative is not limited to the traditional art forms and whether you are a professional at it or not. Creativity is by definition, as wide and varied as you can imagine. Some people might create delicious homemade bread, others create a loving home for their family, others still might create comedy sketches. The point is we don’t all need to become ‘professional’ for us to experience the value in the act of creating. Of course, being paid a living for these passions can be a bonus, but monetary payment doesn’t need to be the standard from which we measure the value of creating itself. It&#x27;s important to remember the great satisfaction we can get out of other areas of our lives independent from our jobs. So if we let go of the idea that our job needs to tick all of the boxes, how else are we to decide which position is right for us? There are no universally correct answers to this question. This requires an honest look at the totality of our own current life which includes our relationships, our hobbies and passions, our health and our job. In this way we can assess which boxes are or can be ticked by different aspects of our lives. This then takes the pressure off on how much a job needs to provide for us to be satisfied. For example, perhaps we’re a football coach in our local town. This will probably provide us with plenty of meaning and social value. If we already get these benefits from a hobby like coaching, we may not need to get it from our job. Instead we can really narrow down on what is currently lacking in our lives and decide upon our next job by considering which one would best provide what we want. While at the same time letting go of the imaginary notion of a perfect job which allows us to get on with the less desirable aspects and focus on the positive ones. You might have got to the end of this article now without the sense of completion inside that usually comes from finding an answer or next course of action. It might be worth repeating, we&#x27;re not giving you any answers because we trust you can do that for yourself.

You are not your job - An unconventional approach to your next job

This article is the first of a series of four articles titled ‘An unconventional approach to your next job’ dropping each week for the rest of December. What if someone was to tell you that you’ve spent enough hours racking your brain over what your life long career should be. What if we were to tell you that life long careers are complete nonsense. A rare case. You’ve better odds of winning the Irish lotto than you do of finding and keeping the same job for your entire life. Unless you get lucky and die on your first job that is. This type of thinking is a couple of generations old. In fact it isn’t even yours, so why think it? This thinking belongs to your Grandparents who grew up in a different world where resources were scarce and manifestation slow. Things happen at a much faster rate these days, companies come and go, people outgrow their jobs, have different careers at different points in their lives or change industries multiple times. So the next logical question is, where does this leave us? Or more importantly, what are the alternatives? One alternative is to think instead in terms of life stages or phases. The benefits of thinking in terms of your next project, life stage or phase is that it breaks things down into nice, easily digestible chunks. Rather than asking yourself the question ‘What do I want to do with my life’, we instead ask something like ‘What would I like to do with the next couple years of my life’ Or ‘How do I envision my dream life going 3 years from now?’ or ‘What project would I like to take on for the next six months?’ Now that’s more digestible than a three in one on a Saturday after a well earned night on the town. Can you already sense how much better these questions feel when asked? Immediately the pressure is off. We’re not talking Mount Everest, we&#x27;re talking about a tough but doable hike up the Sugar Loaf. And who knows, maybe we can get enough Sugar Loaf’s under our belt, and Everest will be within our reach. This all sounds very reasonable, you might say. But what does it actually mean? It’s up to you to decide what that could mean. We’re not here to give you all the answers. Instead our aim is to provide new questions and perspectives you may not have considered yet so that you can breathe some fresh life into your job search. The bottom line is, if you are reading this in between jobs at the moment, then you have a massive opportunity on your hands. An opportunity to reinvent yourself for the next stage of your life in whatever way you like. You may be struggling financially but you are most definitely time rich. This resource that you have in abundance can be used to get clear about how you see your next life phase. Some people like journaling, others like talking to friends to brainstorm about ideas, others again prefer to think in nature. Your preferred tool is irrevelant, your objective is everything. What will I aim at for the next six months, one, three or five years. We all know how easy it is to get stuck in a boring habit of checking any and all jobs, while we slowly lower our standards as the time we’re between jobs lengthens. It’s for this very reason it’s so important to remember the gift of freedom we have to even consider these sort of questions. If you’ve gotten this far and have realized the opportunity that lies ahead of you, there’s only one question left, what are you going to do next?

Forget the question ‘What will I do with my life’

If you&#x27;re working remotely, you may be able to claim tax relief on the additional costs of working from home, including electricity, heat and broadband.<a href="https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/money_and_tax/tax/income_tax_credits_and_reliefs/eworking_and_tax_relief.html" target="_blank">Citizens Information</a> have detailed exactly how to go about claiming a tax relief at the end of the year. Here is everything you need to know;How much can I claim?You may have extra costs when you are working from home including heating, electricity and broadband costs. Your employer can pay you a contribution towards these costs or you can make a claim for tax relief at the end of the year.If your employer pays you an allowance towards these expenses, you can get up to €3.20 per day without paying any tax, PRSI or USC on it. If your employer pays more than €3.20 per day to cover expenses, you pay tax, PRSI and USC as normal on the amount above €3.20. You should note that employers are not legally obliged to make this payment to their employees.If your employer does not pay you an allowance for your expenses, you can make a claim for tax relief at the end of the year. You will get money back from the taxes you paid.Your refund of tax is based on:- How many days you worked from home- The cost of the expenses- Revenue’s agreed rate for calculating the cost of running a home officeRevenue’s rate for the cost of running a home office is 10% of the cost of electricity and heating. This means that you can claim 10% of the total amount of allowable utility bills against your taxes. You can also claim 30% of broadband costs for the tax year 2020. This applies for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.You can only claim for the days that you work from home. This does not include times you may have brought work home to do outside your normal working hours.If your employer pays you an allowance towards your expenses, the amount paid is deducted from the amount you can claim back from Revenue.ExampleMary works from home for 6 months while her office is closed due to the COVID-19 emergency. During that 6 months her household bills for heating and electricity come to €1000 and her broadband comes to €300. At the end of the year she can claim tax back on expenses of:- €100 for heating and electricity (10% of €1000)- €90 for broadband (30% of €300)- €190 in totalThe amount she gets back depends on her rate of tax. If she pays tax at the higher tax rate of 40% she will get €76 back from her taxes (40% of €190). If she pays tax at the lower rate of 20%, she will receive €38 back (20% of €190).How to applyYou can claim tax relief online using Revenue’s myAccount service. You can also access the <a href="https://www.ros.ie/myaccount-web/home.html" target="_blank">myAccount service</a> on mobile and tablet devices using Revenue’s <a href="https://www.revenue.ie/en/online-services/support/mobile-and-desktop-applications/revapp.aspx" target="_blank">RevApp.</a>To complete an Income Tax return online use the following steps:1. Sign in to <a href="https://www.ros.ie/myaccount-web/sign_in.html?execution=e2s1&amp;lang=en" target="_blank">myAccount</a>2. Click on ‘Review your tax’ link in PAYE Services3. Select the Income Tax return for the relevant tax year4. Select ‘Other PAYE Expenses’ in the ‘Tax Credits and Reliefs’ page and insert the amount of expense at the ‘Amount Claimed’ sectionYou must be able to account for each expense you intend to claim. This means keeping a record of all receipts and bills. You should keep all documentation relating to your claim for 6 years from the end of the tax year to which the claim relates.You may also need a letter from your employer stating that you work from home.More information can also be found <a href="https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/money_and_tax/tax/income_tax_credits_and_reliefs/eworking_and_tax_relief.html" target="_blank">here.</a>Take care and best wishes fromThe JobAlert.ie Team

How To Claim Work From Home Expenses

<h2>New Rent Supplement rules apply and will be in place until 31 March 2021</h2>Legislation was introduced to prevent both the termination of residential tenancies and any rent increases for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.While tenants are expected to pay rent during the COVID-19 pandemic, Rent Supplement is available to you if you are struggling to pay.You can qualify for Rent Supplement if you or your partner are working more than 30 hours per week and you have had a reduction in your income from work due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.You must have been in your current tenancy for more than 4 weeks and could have continued to paid your rent from your own resources, but for the COVID-19 public health emergency.If you are diagnosed with COVID-19 or are suspected of having COVID-19 and are medically required to self-isolate, your Rent Supplement can be processed and paid immediately.You will be assessed for Rent Supplement using a higher Supplementary Welfare Allowance rate – see below.If your Rent Supplement continues after 31 March 2021, it will be reviewed and the existing Rent Supplement rules, guidelines and means assessment will apply.<h3>Supplementary Welfare Allowance rate for Rent Supplement and COVID-19</h3>Rent Supplement ensures that your income, after paying rent, does not fall below a minimum level. This minimum level is the basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance rate for your circumstances minus a set Household Contribution (you may pay more depending on your means).The basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance rate is normally €201 – you will get a higher rate if you have dependents. However, if you are a new Rent Supplement applicant and applied on or after 13 March 2020, you will be assessed for Rent Supplement using the following Supplementary Welfare Allowance rates:€350 for a single person€700 for a couple€40 for each childIf your employment (or self-employment) has been affected by the coronavirus pandemic, or if you are sick or caring for someone who is sick, read our document on COVID-19 (coronavirus) and social welfare payments. Rule that applies;For applicants who apply on or after 13 March 2020, you must have been in your current tenancy for more than 4 weeks and could have continued to paid your rent from your own resources, but for the COVID-19 public health emergency.<h3>Employment and Rent Supplement</h3>For applicants who apply on or after 13 March 2020, you can qualify for Rent Supplement if you or your partner are working more than 30 hours per week and you have had a reduction in your income from work due to the COVID-19 public health emergency – see COVID-19 and Rent Supplement above.You will be reassessed for Rent Supplement and some of your additional income including some of your income from employment will be taken into account. As a result of the reassessment you may or may not continue to qualify for Rent Supplement. If you do qualify for Rent Supplement you may get a different rate of Supplement.If you start work (employment or self-employment), you must notify the Department of Social Protection (DSP) to avoid any overpayment of Rent Supplement.More information is available <a href="https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/supplementary_welfare_schemes/rent_supplement.html#lb623b" target="_blank">HERE</a>

Struggling to pay rent? Rent supplements are available with new rules!

Remember you are not alone. Help is out there. There are so many organisations offering online, phone and text support services: Samaritans 24 hour helpline: Call 116 123 / Email: jo@samaritans.ie Aware: 1800 804 848 Pieta House: 1800 247 247 Jigsaw: Call 1800 544729 / E-mail help@jigsaw.ie / Visit: https://jigsaw.ie/talk-online/ Free counselling sessions: http://mymind.org (for any age) &amp; http://jigsaw.ie (12-25 year olds) HSE mental health phone line: 1800 111 888 Childline: 1800 666 666 or Free Text the word ‘Talk’ to 50101 ALONE: 0818 222 024 Crisis Volunteers: Free Text 50808 Rape Crisis: 1800 778 888 Women&#x27;s Aid: 1800 341 900 Take care everyone.

Help is there if you need it | Don't suffer in silence

SUMMARY;<ul><li>The Wage Subsidy Scheme will be enhanced. There will be five bands now instead of two which will pay employers more to keep staff on.</li><li>Changes to the pandemic unemployment payment will see the €350 rate return for workers who were earning more than €400. </li><li>The Government have promised additional business supports.</li><li>Only essential businesses can remain open.  Construction sites, schools and creches can stay open.</li><li>Under level five, people will be asked to stay and work at home wherever possible, and to exercise within 5km of their home.</li><li>A graduated system of penalties is being examined to enforce the travel restrictions.</li><li>Weddings will also be allowed remain at 25 guests.</li><li>A &#x27;support bubble&#x27; system is being set up, allowing people who live alone to have close contact with one other household.</li><li>Elite sport including inter-county GAA will be allowed to continue as well as League of Ireland and the Six Nations.</li></ul>Official Government AnnouncementThe government has decided today that, as of midnight on Wednesday 21st October, all of Ireland will be placed on Level 5 of the Plan for Living with COVID with a small number of exceptions as set out below.This action is based on current public health advice, the deteriorating situation with the disease across the country and the Government’s objectives to support families by keeping schools and childcare facilities open, maintaining non-COVID health services and protecting the vulnerable.Level 5 restrictions will remain in place for a period of 6 weeks.Given the difficulties that these restrictions place on individuals and families across the State, the risk of job losses and of poverty and homelessness, the Government has agreed that the moratorium on evictions be reinstated and that Pandemic Unemployment Payment and the Employee Wage Subsidy Scheme be amended to reflect these challenges.Placing the country at Level 5 Restrictions will have the following implications:<ul><li>people are asked to stay at home. People should work from home unless providing an essential service for which their physical presence is required (see below for essential services)</li><li>people will be permitted to exercise within a radius of 5 km of their home</li><li>there will be a penalty for movement outside 5km of home, with exemptions to this for essential work and essential purposes (see notes to editors)</li><li>in line with current NPHET advice in respect of Level 5, schools, early learning and childcare services will continue to remain open and are deemed essential</li><li>in addition, in recognition of the impact on children and young people of restrictions, non-contact training can continue for school aged children, outdoors in pods of 15. All other training activities should be individual only, with some exemptions, see below</li><li>there should be no visits to other people’s homes or gardens</li><li>however, there will be the concept of an extended household (or support bubble) for defined categories of individuals to support those at risk of social isolation and/or mental ill-health (see notes to editors).</li><li>no social/family gatherings should take place, with the exemptions to this for weddings and funerals (see below).</li></ul>It is possible to meet with one other household in an outdoor setting which is not a home or garden, such as a park, including for exercise<ul><li>there should be no organised indoor or outdoor events.</li><li>essential retail and essential services will remain open (see below).</li><li>public transport will operate at 25% capacity for the purposes of allowing those providing essential services to get to work [School transport unaffected].</li><li>in line with current NPHET advice in respect of Level 5, professional, elite sports and inter-county Gaelic games, horse-racing and greyhound racing can continue behind closed doors.</li><li>bars, cafes, restaurants and wet pubs may provide take-away and delivery services only. Wet pubs in *hotels, guesthouses and B&amp;Bs may remain open, but only to support provision of essential services.</li><li>those aged over 70 and the medically vulnerable are advised to continue to exercise personal judgement. It is recommended that they stay at home as much as possible, limit engagement to a very small network for short periods of time, while remaining physically distanced. When taking exercise outdoors, it is important to maintain 2 metres distance from others and wash hands on returning home. It is recommended to shop during designated hours only, while wearing a face covering, and to avoid public transport.</li><li>religious services will be available online</li><li>museums, galleries and other cultural attractions will remain closed</li><li>libraries will be available for online services only.</li><li>outdoor playgrounds, play areas and parks will remain open with protective measures.</li><li>visits to Long Term Residential Care facilities are suspended with the exception of visits required for critical and compassionate circumstances</li></ul><h3>Essential purposes for travel (permitted outside 5k limit)</h3><ul><li>travel to and from work, where work involves providing an essential service (see below)</li><li>to attend medical appointments and collect medicines and other health products</li><li>for vital family reasons, such as providing care to children, elderly or vulnerable people, and in particular for those who live alone, as part of an extended household but excluding social family visits</li><li>to attend a wedding or funeral</li><li>for farming purposes i.e. food production and/or care of animals</li><li>to visit a grave</li></ul>ADDITIONAL NOTES;Exemptions for weddings (irrespective of venue):** Up to 25 guests for wedding ceremony and reception.Exemption for funerals: Up to 10 mourners.<h3>Sports/Training/Matches</h3>No training or matches should take place, with the exception of professional, elite sports and inter-county Gaelic games, horse-racing and greyhound racing, which are being permitted to continue behind closed doors.<h3>Extended Household Concept</h3>In order to support those who risk isolation, such as single adult households and those who have shared parenting or shared custody arrangements; those living alone who have mental health challenges, or those living with partner with dementia for example, it will be possible for those in such circumstances to nominate one other household with whom they can mix. This will allow for social support beyond the caring exemptions already available.<h3>Amendments to PUP and EWSS</h3>We know the move to Level 5 will have a significant impact on businesses – we know many people will temporarily lose their jobs on ThursdayAs a result of the fact that businesses have to close we are making changes to the PUP and the EWSSThe new payment structure for the PUP is as follows, with the rate of €350 restored to those who were earning in excess of €400 per week:Prior Weekly Earnings (Gross) less than €200 - PUP Payment €203€200 – €299.99 - PUP Payment €250€300 - €399.99 - PUP Payment €300more than €400 - PUP Payment €350This change to payment rates will apply for payments issued from Tuesday 27th October (PUP is paid weekly on a Tuesday) in respect of all existing and new applicants.The EWSS is also being amended to align with the amendment to PUP. This means here will be 5 payment rates/bands as follows:<ul><li>0 - €151 = €0</li><li>&gt;€151 &lt; €203 = €203</li><li>&gt;€203 &lt; €300 = €250</li><li>&gt;€300 &lt; €400 = €300</li><li>&gt;€400&lt; €1,462 = €350</li></ul>The main aim of this scheme is to ensure where possible employees retain their link with their employer rather than become unemployed. This revised scheme will run to end January 2021.SEE LIST OF ESSENTIAL RETAILERS; <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/60ecc-essential-retail-outlets-for-level-4/?referrer=http://www.gov.ie/essentialretail/" target="_blank">HERE</a>SEE LIST OF ESSENTIAL SERVICES; <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/c9158-essential-services/?referrer=http://www.gov.ie/essentialservices/" target="_blank">HERE</a>

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