Restart Grant Information

The €250 million Restart Grant is aimed at helping micro and small businesses with the costs associated with reopening and reemploying workers following COVID-19 closures.

Eligible businesses who have stayed open throughout the crisis, as well as those who are reopening under Phase 1 (from 18 May) and Phase 2 (8 June) of the Government’s Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business, are encouraged to apply now for the Restart Grant. These applications will be prioritised for payment by the local authorities.

Eligible companies with the most immediate need to get back up-and-running will receive the grant support as quickly as possible. For this reason, the businesses listed in Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Roadmap, as well as those who stayed open all along, will be prioritised. Businesses know the dates on which their premises can reopen, and we want to avoid long waiting times for the grant. Businesses are advised that they should wait until a few weeks before their business is due to reopen before submitting their application to the local authorities.

To avail of the Restart Grant, applicants must be a commercial business and be in the Local Authorities Commercial Rates Payment System and:
The grant will be equivalent to the rates bill of the business in 2019, or a minimum payment of €2,000, whichever is the higher, and will be subject to a maximum payment of €10,000.

1. have an annual turnover of less than €5m and employ between 1 to 50 people;
2. have suffered a projected 25%+ loss in turnover to end June 2020;
3. commit to remain open or to reopen if it was closed;
4. declare the intention to retain employees that are on The Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme and re-employ staff on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment as business recovers.

If a company is currently in a rateable premise but was not rate-assessed in 2019 it is still eligible to apply. The County Council can pay the grant based on an estimate of what the rates demand for 2019 would have been.

Applications for the Restart Grant can be made online directly us here and further information is available on the application form. If there are queries that are not addressed on the application form, businesses can contact the Business Support Unit in the Council on 01 2054700 and info@dlrcoco.ie.

This direct grant support is part of the wider €12bn package of supports for firms of all sizes, which includes The Wage Subsidy Scheme, grants, low-cost loans, write-off of commercial rates and deferred tax liabilities, all of which will help to improve cashflow amongst our SMEs.

*****Please note that Business Categories, based on the Government’s Roadmap for a phased re-opening of the economy, are as set out below:

Phase 1 (18 May)	Hardware, garden centres, opticians, motor/cycle repairs, office products, electrical, IT equipment, phone sales/repairs, outdoor construction, public amenities.
Phase 2 (8 June)	Small retail outlets, marts.
Phase 3 (29 June)	Creches for essential workers, retail outlets with street entrance, cafes, and restaurants for on-premises consumption.
Phase 4 (20 July)	Creches, ‘high-risk’ services including hairdressers, tourism accommodation.
Phase 5 (10 August)	Bars, theatres, cinemas, gyms, shopping centres.

For more information click here: https://www.dlrcoco.ie/en/council-democracy/finance/restart-grant

Watch a video on the Restart Grant here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5htei8MUbfg&t=10s

Watch a webinar on the Restart Grant here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVQ5wJccyTc&feature=emb_title