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Irish Chamber

Economic Recovery Plan

Date: 
Wednesday, June 9, 2021
Economic Recovery Plan

Overview of the Economic Recovery Plan 

 

As the successful vaccination programme allows Ireland to progressively re-open the economy, the Economic Recovery Plan sets out how the Government will support the full resumption of economic activity and get people back to work, with the overall ambition of exceeding pre-crisis employment levels by reaching 2.5 million people in work by 2024. The Plan includes in excess of €3.5 billion in further labour market and enterprise supports and just under €1 billion additional funding under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP).

Helping people back into work by extending labour market supports and through intense activation and skilling:

  • Significant extension of key labour market and enterprise supports:
    • PUP - extended beyond 30th June 2021 for all existing claimants; current generous rates of support will remain in place until the 7th of September and will only be gradually reduced on a phased basis in increments of €50 per week, with two further phases of changes on 16th November and 8th February 2022.
    • EWSS extended beyond 30th June 2021 until the end of the year. Will remain at current enhanced rates of support for July, August, September. From then onwards the question of an employer contribution will be considered. To keep more people on the scheme the time period for assessment has been broadened from 6 to 12 months.
  • New Pathways to Work 2021-2025 with overall target of increasing the caseload of the Public Employment Service by 100,000 per annum
  • New Work Placement Experience Programme, to reach 10,000 participants by end-2022
  • New Youth Employment Charter for intensive engagement with young jobseekers
  • Expanding Jobs Plus scheme to 8,000 places with continued higher incentive for recruitment of young unemployed people
  • Accelerating rollout of 50,000 education and training places, building on strong progress to date
  • SOLAS Recovery Skills Response Programme with EU supported €114 million to provide a range of additional education and training programmes including SOLAS Green Skills Action programme
  • Action Plan for Apprenticeships 2021-2025 to be rigorously implemented, to grow new apprentice registrations to 10,000 per annum by 2025. 
  • Reinvigoration of Ireland’s Skills Framework and Architecture

 

Re-building sustainable enterprises through targeted investments and policies to make enterprises more resilient and productive:

  • Targeted supports for tourism and events
    • Pilot live events for arts, culture, sports and live entertainment. Supports continue through Live Performance Support Scheme (LPSS), Music and Entertainment Business Assistance Scheme (MEBAS); and a forthcoming events sector support scheme.
    • Lower Tourism VAT Rate of 9% further extended to September 2022. Fáilte Ireland will continue its support initiatives including through its Business Continuity Scheme or equivalent schemes.
  • Roadmap for aviation recovery rooted in International travel roadmap, horizontal supports, and sector specific supports.
  • New proposed pilot scheme for artists to support their income. 
  • Extension of COVID Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS) until the end of 2021 and enhancement of CRSS with significantly higher restart payment – three weeks at double rate of payment (to a maximum of €30,000).
  • New additional Business Resumption Support Scheme from September for businesses with significantly reduced turnover. Can avail if got  CTBCS or CRSS
  • Small Business Assistance Scheme for COVID (SBASC) - broadened eligibility to assist a broader range of enterprise with grant aid to assist with fixed costs
  • Extension of Commercial Rates Waiver in its current form for another three months
  • Extension of Tax Debt Warehousing Scheme to the end of 2021
  • Dedicated new standalone examinership process to reduce cost and timeframe for small companies – Small Companies Administrative Rescue Process (SCARP)
  • Complimentary existing supports continue:
    • €2 billion COVID-19 Credit Guarantee Scheme
    • Future Growth Loan Scheme
    • Brexit Impact Loan Scheme
    • ISIF Pandemic Stabilisation and Recovery Fund
    • Sustaining Enterprise Fund
    • Trading Online Vouchers and Online Retail Scheme
    • Financial planning and other grant supports available through the Local Enterprise Offices, Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, and MicroFinance Ireland
  • Domestic sector supported by Ministerial-led implementation Group and Single SME Portal
    • SME and Entrepreneurship Growth Plan - 2,000 additional SMEs to begin exporting by end 2025 and a further 3,000 additional micro and start up enterprises to be enabled to become Digital Exporters by the end of 2025.
    • Enterprise Ireland’s strategic framework to drive transformational change
    • €10 million Climate Enterprise Action Fund and online climate toolkit for businesses
  • Leveraging and reinforcing strength of MNCs and International Trade
    • IDA 2021-2024 Strategy - aims to win 800 total investments to support job creation of 50,000 and to target a 20% increase in client expenditure in Ireland
    • New Trade and Investment Strategy and reviewed Global Ireland strategy 
  • Programme to Drive Digital Transformation of Enterprise in Ireland through €85m in new grants and New National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 
  • New National Strategy for Research and Innovation with national R&I targets and new €71m National Grand Challenges Programme
  • National Clustering Policy and Enabling Framework and a further €40m investment under the Technological Universities Transformation Fund to aid development of Technological Universities

 

A Balanced and Inclusive Recovery through strategic investment, balanced regional development and improving living standards:  

  • Multi-billion euro strategic investment under the revised National Development Plan
  • €915 million in first tranche of funding under the European Recovery and Resilience Facility
  • Brexit Adjustment Reserve- Irelands proposed allocation represents just over 20% of the overall fund - over €1 billion
  • The new Housing for All strategy will set out a whole-of-government approach to all aspects of the housing sector and target of 33,000 homes every year
  • Loan guarantee for Low Cost Residential Retrofit Loan Scheme 
  • Rehabilitation of 33,000 hectares of former industrial peatlands
  • €20 million River Basin Management Plan to upgrade rural waste water treatment plants
  • Progressing €500m Shared Island Fund for North/South projects
  • Leveraging National Remote Working Strategy and national connected hubs network
  • Improving living standards, strengthening social dialogue mechanisms and a well-being framework for measuring progress
    • Following a Public Consultation on the introduction of Statutory Sick Pay the General Scheme of a Bill will be published shortly, followed by enactment by end 2021
    • The Low Pay Commission examining how best a living wage could be introduced in Ireland, with research to be completed before the end of the year
    • Research being undertaken on the best approach to piloting a Universal Basic Income, via the Low Pay Commission, with recommendations in early 2022
    • Supporting a Just Transition through the Climate Action Plans
    • Significant initiatives to promote gender equality including through the Citizens’ Assembly and enacting the Gender Pay Gap Information legislation without delay

 

 

Sustaining the public finances

  • Forthcoming Summer Economic Statement will include details on our medium- term deficit reduction framework
  • Ireland working towards International Tax agreement at the OECD. Following G7 discussions a global minimum rate of 15% has been agreed with OECD and EU Commission discussions to continue before implementation.
  • Commission on Taxation & Welfare, complemented by the Commission on Pensions and the development of an Automatic Enrolment retirement savings system will provide medium-longer term blueprints
Tags: 
Economy