Gallagher encourages businesses to apply for grants to combat cost increases

3190 businesses in county Mayo should act now and apply for a once-off Government grant to help them meet rising costs, that is according to Local election candidate Alma Gallagher.

Gallagher has urged Mayo County Council, who are currently administering the scheme on behalf of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, to proactively engage with businesses and allow them to apply for the scheme beyond the May 1 deadline.

She said: “This €257 million scheme was announced in Budget 2024 by my colleague, former Enterprise Minister Simon Coveney, and will provide a real boost to micro businesses and small and medium enterprises here in Mayo.

“In County Mayo, 3190 eligible businesses have yet to make a submission for the scheme and I would urge them to do so through the online portal at mycoco.ie. If they need assistance, businesses can also contact Mayo County Council, which have written to all ratepayers with a Customer ID and pin.”

Explaining that the May 1 application deadline is fast approaching, the Fine Gael candidate said she would like to see the deadline extended to ensure businesses benefit from ‘this vital support’.

She added: “For businesses with a 2023 Commercial Rate bill of less than €10,000, the Increased Cost of Business (ICOB) grant will be paid at a rate of 50 percent of the business’s Commercial Rate bill for 2023. For qualifying businesses with a 2023 Commercial Rate bill of between €10,000 and €30,000, the ICOB grant will be €5,000.

“There should also be proactive direct email engagement by Local authorities and Local Enterprise Offices to ensure that entrepreneurs and business owners in Mayo get a portion of their rates back.

“I am also pleased that Taoiseach Simon Harris and Enterprise Minister Peter Burke are working with Government colleagues to examine what additional supports can be provided to small and medium businesses, ahead of Budget 2025,” she concluded.

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Peter Burke, said: “This grant is a vital measure aimed at providing key funding to our small businesses, which are the backbone of our economy.

“It is my priority and a key priority of this government to assist our businesses with any increase in costs they are facing to ensure they can continue to play a pivotal role in our local economy,” he said.