€7,764,597 paid in government business grants in Mayo – Dillon

Minister of State Alan Dillon TD has welcomed the news that a second round of business grants totalling €2,924,156 has now issued to 1,462 businesses in Mayo.

“I was delighted to be informed by my Fine Gael colleague Minister Peter Burke that a second round of the Increased Cost of Business grant has now been paid directly into businesses’ bank accounts in Mayo.

“Retail and hospitality businesses have been issued with a second payment, in recognition of the cost pressures many are under. Research commissioned by Minister Burke has highlighted that these types of businesses have faced the highest rate of cost increases, and the Government under our new Taoiseach Simon Harris, has now responded by providing a second payment of up to €5,000 per business.”

Minister Dillon continued, “I know that many of our small and medium-sized businesses across Mayo need support, in light of rising energy costs, staff costs and other pinch points. I have raised these issues with Minister Burke, who understands these pressures, and is preparing budget proposals with this in mind.

“The first round of the Increased Cost of Business grant was paid earlier this year to all businesses in rateable premises, amounting to half of their commercial rates bill to a maximum of €5,000. A total of €4,840,441 was paid to 2,250 businesses across Mayo. Now a second payment has been made to a further 1,462 Mayo businesses, targeted to retail and hospitality, so that these businesses have had the value of their full rates bill hit their bank accounts.

A total of €7,764,597 has now been issued to 3,982 businesses in Mayo, and I know that this money will be valued by many small businesses locally.

Minister Dillon said: “The grant is only available to small and medium sized businesses whose rates bill is under €30,000, again targeted relief for our family businesses who are the backbone of our economy.

We have brought forward a number of new measures since April, including further supports being made available through our network of Local Enterprise Offices and a new platform for businesses to check which grants and supports they are entitled to.

Fine Gael will continue to support our SMEs as we head into our negotiations for Budget 2025, Minister Dillon concluded.