Employment Subsidy Scheme (Temporary)

The Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment have a scheme to subsidise wages in companies that are struggling to pay the wages.
It looks like it is offering some genuine help but it is targeted are Enterprise Ireland type companies (internationally traded goods and services).
Applications have to be in by the 4th of September.

Details

How long untill someone takes them to court on unfair competition grounds etc, due to the restriction on company size.

Nothing in the eligibility factors says the company has to be struggling! There could be companies who will take the money, just because they qualify, and employees were never at risk.
Whereas many small companies have put staff on to 3 day weeks because they have had no choice, but they are not getting any support at all.

Gervan said:

Nothing in the eligibility factors says the company has to be struggling! There could be companies who will take the money, just because they qualify, and employees were never at risk.
Whereas many small companies have put staff on to 3 day weeks because they have had no choice, but they are not getting any support at all.

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It seems to be aimed at companies that are not struggling but without support would have to lay off some staff in particular areas which are not viable at the moment. Remember that it is a job subsidy, not a business subsidy.

This is a particular grip for me at the moment.

We are trying to find support which would allow our business to take on additional staff for unexpected demand on projects ranging into next year.

The idea is if there was aid to help retrain and equip new employees it would ease the cash flow pressures, especially when the bank has no interest in working capital loans or overdrafts, and allow the business to develop, creating employment.

I have spoken with FAS, and their "budgets are slashed due to the scandals" (quote from business support officer!) and have no money to support indigenous service business.

The Social Welfare are not interested unless you are talking of long term unemployed, 12 months or more. Naturally I won't know the level of response and you can't select staff on the basis of whether they are long term unemployed or not. Can you imagine the reaction? "Long term unemployed ONLY may respond!!"

Personally I think it is crazy the way the country is being run with heads in the cloud. I believe if support is given to local based small business, local employment will be generated and with a community based scheme, we can all work our way out of this. I don't see the point in IDA giving €25m to companies to maintain 5 jobs for 5 years.
€5m to a local business group could go along way to help generate 100 jobs for life.