Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 July 2024
300. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of businesses ineligible for the increased cost of business grant due to the fact they pay rates through their landlord rather than directly to the local authority, by county, in tabular form. [29904/24]
View answerThe figures requested are not available because businesses in such an arrangement do not need to register this with their Local Authority.
Businesses that are tenants could register for the ICOB grant as long as they are ratepayers. The legal position under section 4 of the Local Government Rates and Other Matters Act 2019 as well as the amendments introduced through the Historic and Archaeological Heritage and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 is that tenants whose rent incorporates their rates obligation, which is remitted by the landlord, cannot be deemed to be ratepayers.
The Deputy will appreciate that it would be inappropriate to interfere with existing commercial arrangements between small businesses and their landlords in the context of the increased cost of business scheme.
The priority has been to ensure that as many businesses as possible receive the money as quickly as possible.
