COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF RATHFARNHAM/TEMPLEOGUE/FIRHOUSE/BOHERNABREENA AREA COMMITTEE
Tuesday, February 09, 2021
QUESTION NO. 2
QUESTION: Councillor Carly Bailey
To ask the Chief Executive to outline supports that are available to local businesses through this Local Authority in order to help them continue to trade, operate and employ workers throughout this global pandemic.
REPLY:
LEO South Dublin and South Dublin County Council completed a programme of specific COVID supports to the end of December 2020 which were targeted to the business owners of Micro and Small enterprises who have been impacted by COVID 19 right across county. A number of specific COVID supports closed out on or before year end and this is highlighted below.
The various COVID 19 supports attracted an exceptionally high volume of applications from right across the county South Dublin and totalled €33.5m to end of December 2020 and details over the key schemes for South Dublin as follows:-
Re-start Grant/ Restart Plus Grants ( Closed December 2020)
Applications received: 4,851
Applications Approved: 3,698
Value Restart Grants paid : €31m
Business Continuity Support Vouchers ( Closed September 2020)
Applications Received : 638
Applications Approved : 552
Value of Vouchers Approved €580K
Trading Online Vouchers ( Special COVID terms closed December 2020)
Applications submitted: 1307
Applications Approved: 672
Value of Approved Vouchers €1.69m
LEO Stimulus Grant ( Closed December 2020)
Applications from *qualifying Clients: 53
Applications Approved 42
Value Applications Approved: €218K
Micro Enterprise Assistance Support ( Closed December 2020)
Applications Received: 18
Applications Approved : 4
Value of Approved Grants €4K
Free Mentoring supports have been and continue to be available to all Micro and Small Business owners and Training workshops and seminars were available free of charge or at substantially reduced rates throughout the period and continue into 2021.
Further supports have and continue to be offered to businesses applying for Microfinance Loan facilities, Brexit Customs Workshops & Mentoring. General Financial Supports and Trading On-line Vouchers continue to be available and details are available Financial Supports - Local Enterprise Office - SouthDublin.
The Business Support Fund has also been extended into 2021 and details are available Business Support Fund - Local Enterprise Office - SouthDublin
LEO started and directly supported a Shop Local campaign with The Echo Newspaper which ran from late October to 17th December 2020 both in the traditional hardcopy and on-line editions of the newspaper. Each week the paper featured local businesses (retail and on-line) across towns and villages to promote Shop Local and extend an invitation to all business to sign up for free listing on our South Dublin ‘Local Directory’. In excess of 200 businesses signed up over the duration of the campaign and are currently listed on an on-line directory within The Echo. The campaign was also promoted on Social Media See details at https://www.echo.ie/advertising/shop-local-directory-form
Plans are in place to further expand the number of businesses and service providers on the Directory and extend a supporting Shop Local Campaign throughout 2021