Amended - Terms and Conditions of the Scheme
- The relevant property must be a commercially rated property in the Council’s administrative area.
- Total commercial rates assessed on the rate account for 2017 must be €20,000 or less.
- The commercial rates for 2020, including arrears if any, relating to the relevant account or any other account by the rated occupier must be paid in full by the 1st November, 2020.
- Where the condition at number 3 above is not possible due to the impact of COVID 19, an agreement to pay must be entered into on or before the 1st November, 2020. Due to the very exceptional circumstances, an agreement to pay the arrears and the 2020 rates over a longer period will be considered. In accordance with the agreement, the agreed initial payment must be paid before the end of 2020. In addition, payment of the initial instalments must commence before the end of 2020.
- Agreements to pay require the ratepayer to sign up for direct debit payments on or before the 1st November, 2020. In very exceptional circumstances other payment methods may be accepted.
- Occupiers currently on or newly signed up to direct debit payments are deemed to have an agreement to pay 2020 rates and arrears, if any, over an agreed longer period. Application of the grant will be made to eligible ratepayers that have adhered to their direct debit arrangement by adjusting their final direct debit payment in November/December 2020.
- Where a vacant property qualifies for a rates refund/rates vacancy property adjustment then the grant payment will only be payable on that element of the rates bill that does not qualify for a rates vacancy refund/rates vacancy adjustment.
- Where occupancy of a property is transferred during 2020 the Support Grant may be availed of by the occupier for the relevant period of their occupancy subject to Section 32 of the Local Government Reform Act 2014 (duty to inform rating authority of transfer of relevant property) being complied with.
- The scheme shall apply for the period 1st January to 31st December, 2020
- Occupiers qualifying for this Support Grant may also qualify for other Business Supports available from the Council.
Section 66 of the Local Government Act 2001, as amended by Section 43 of the Local Government Reform Act 2014, provides that a local authority may provide such financial assistance as it considers appropriate to promote the interests of the local community, including enterprise and economic development interests.