merrion street

Senator Seán Kyne, Government Chief Whip and Minister of State for the Gaeltacht, the Irish Language and the Islands, is pleased to confirm that client companies of Údarás na Gaeltachta will be able to access the full range of supports under the Sustaining Enterprise Fund, with an initial amount of €5m being made available.

This is in addition to the recently announced extra funding of €0.6m secured by Minister Kyne for Údarás na Gaeltachta to administer the Trading Online Voucher Scheme in the Gaeltacht and is a result of the ongoing collaboration between the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and Údarás na Gaeltachta and other departments and State agencies to provide practical supports to businesses impacted as result of Covid-19.

Today’s confirmation ensures that Gaeltacht enterprises will have access to the €180 million Sustaining Enterprise Fund, which is administered through the State’s development agencies  following successful negotiations by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation with the European Commission under the temporary state aid framework.

Minister of State Kyne said:

I am pleased to confirm that client companies of Údarás na Gaeltachta will be able to access the full range of supports of the Sustaining Enterprise Fund through Údarás na Gaeltachta, working in close co-operation with Enterprise Ireland who are administering the fund nationally. It is anticipated that an initial sum of €5 million will cover the present demand from Údarás clients and this will be reviewed as the scheme progresses.

Údarás na Gaeltachta client companies should contact their Development Advisor in Údarás na Gaeltachta to initiate the application process.

The Minister also encouraged eligible micro and small businesses in the Gaeltacht regions to apply for the Government’s €250m Restart Grant Fund, providing direct grant aid to micro and small businesses through the local authorities. The support, in the form of direct grant aid, is aimed at helping micro and small businesses with the costs associated with reopening and re-employing workers following COVID-19 closures. The grant can be used to defray ongoing fixed costs, eg utilities, insurance or for replenishing stock and for measures needed to ensure employee and customer safety. Applications for the Restart Grant can be made online directly to local authorities.