COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Monday, November 09, 2020
QUESTION NO. 3
QUESTION: Councillor Carly Bailey
To ask the Chief Executive what strategy SDCC will put in place to help small businesses who are finding it difficult to pay commercial rates once the waiver period ends at the end of September.
REPLY:
As part of the budget statement on 13 October 2020, the Government announced an extension of the waiver of Commercial Rates for a further period of three months. The waiver will be applied to all eligible rate accounts and will take the form of a credit in lieu of rates. Once this is applied the Debt Management Unit will work with all ratepayers to put in place sustainable debt management plans on any remaining balances on their account if needed.
In addition to the Rates Waiver scheme, LEO South Dublin has been and continues to work with the business owners of Micro and Small enterprises who have been impacted by COVID 19 right across the county.
The key direct supports include Re-start Grant/ Restart Plus Grants, Business Continuity Vouchers and Trading Online Vouchers. Mentoring and Training Supports (virtual) have and continue to be offered plus support for all businesses applying for Microfinance Loan facilities.
LEO are currently offering free Customs Workshops and one to one Brexit Mentoring (again Virtual) to any businesses impacted by Brexit.
The Council Budget also provide for the Business Support Funds (BSF) scheme which include four funds which are targeted to address key issues in industrial areas in the County namely
- Supporting physical improvement works;
- Aimed at encouraging occupiers to improve the investment potential of industrial estates / units;
- Particular emphasis on those industrial estates experiencing high levels of obsolescence, dereliction, vacancy and abandonment;
- Helping existing small scale businesses and start-up businesses utilising previously vacant units.
The BSF also includes Microenterprise/Start-up Support which encourages new micro enterprise owners who upgrade an existing vacant premises to avail of a graduated “rates holiday” for up to two years.