The Government has, today (May 1st, 2020), updated their guidance on the restrictions being faced by businesses and the general public as a result of the Covid-19 crisis. Recent weeks have been challenging for all businesses; irrespective of their ability to remain open or enforced closure. Businesses that have continued to trade have had to do so while making significant (and often costly) changes such as erecting screens to safeguard staff or manage a dispersed at home workforce. Closed businesses have suffered considerable and costly interruption to their businesses.
Today’s update has been made against a backdrop of demands for the ‘lockdown’ to be eased to enable more businesses to open to the public. The main points made at today’s briefing that impact the business community are:
- There will be a 5 phase return to ‘normal’ with new phases coming into force every 3 weeks.
- Phase 1 -commencing on May 18th -outdoor workers will be allowed to return with social distancing requirements applying.
- Phase 2 will see solitary workers allowed to return, contingent on their ability to maintain distancing. The Government has advised that all workers who can work remotely will continue to do so at this time, and until August 10th.
- Phase 3 will see workers with low levels of daily interactions being allowed to return.
- Phase 4 will see workers who cannot remote work being considered to return.
- The final phase, Phase 5 on August 10th, will see the phased return to onsite working arrangements.
Full details for ‘Reopening Society and Business’ can be found by clicking here.
UPDATE, May 2nd, 2020:
The Government has also announced a range of additional supports for businesses today:
- A €10,000 “restart grant” for micro and small businesses based on a rates/waiver rebate from 2019.
- A three-month commercial rates waiver for impacted businesses.
- A €2 billion “Pandemic Stabilisation and Recovery Fund” within the Irish Strategic Investment Fund which will make capital available to medium and large enterprises on commercial terms.
- A €2 billion credit guarantee scheme to support lending for SMEs for terms ranging from three months to six years that will be below market interest rates.
- The “warehousing” of tax liabilities for a period of twelve months after the recommencement of trading during which time there will be no debt enforcement action taken by Revenue and no interest charge accruing in respect of the warehouse debt.
Schemes such as the Wage Subsidy Scheme and the numerous supports from public bodies such as Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices are still available and we are encouraging businesses to explore these. Further updates to the schemes are expected in the coming days.
Contact Us
We are assisting client businesses with issues relating to Wage Subsidy Scheme supports and more. If you would like our assistance at this time, please call us on 052 61 37775 or complete the form below.
Further Reading from AAL
We have written extensively about the impact of Covid-19 in recent weeks and how businesses can utilise the time to better position themselves for a time when life returns to normal. You can read some of our most read articles on the topic below.
Organisational Change Is Now Continual Change
There is some hope that the crisis is peaking from a health and economic perspective. There is no denying that the pandemic has caused people to stop and think about how they are doing business and why they are doing what they do. However, in this article our Managing Director Áine Kiely O’Donnell suggests that the businesses who have used this time to think about their businesses need to consider that in the ‘new reality’ they will need to consistently think about their businesses in an effort to maintain their competitive edge. Read more here.
AAL COVID-19 Resources – Managing Your Company In A Time of Crisis
AAL has been providing an extensive amount of information for client companies impacted by COVID-19. The global economy has experienced a shock of the type not seen since the onset of the Great Depression almost one hundred years ago. Government measures have resulted in some companies having to cease operations for the duration of the crisis. Others have been forced to look at new ways of working in an effort to continue operating at this time.
We have compiled some of our most read articles and most relevant communications to client companies to enable you to understand how the COVID-19 crisis impacts on you and your company.
Our company is working with our a wide range of companies, across many sectors, at the moment and we are helping them to deal with the current crisis. We are also helping them to look at how their company might come out through ‘the other side’ of the COVID-19 crisis as a stronger company. Contact us today on 052 61 37775 if you would like to speak to us about how we might be able to help your company through COVID-19. Read the full article here.
It’s Time To Start Thinking Differently
In times of disruption or crisis, novel circumstances abound. Understanding the contours of what is happening and what is most likely to happen next can be the difficult piece, especially if you are a traditional thinker. Áine Kiely O’Donnell looks at new ways of thinking that might help you, and your business, in these extraordinary times. Read more here.