COVID-19: EMEIA Government Support Package - Ireland - 24 April 2020 - EY

 
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COVID-19: EMEIA Government Support Package - Ireland - 24 April 2020 - EY
COVID-19:
EMEIA
Government
Support Package —
Ireland
24 April 2020
COVID-19: EMEIA Government Support Package - Ireland - 24 April 2020 - EY
2   COVID-19: EMEIA EY Government Support Package

    The Irish Government has announced a suite of emergency measures to provide financial
    support to Irish workers and companies affected by COVID-19. The measures focus on
    supporting employment, providing cash flow support to businesses, and increasing welfare
    support.

    The measures can be grouped into six main areas which are being delivered via three
    distinct channels.

    Areas being addressed:                                    These aims are primarily being delivered
                                                              through:
    1. Providing liquidity through financing schemes
                                                              ►   The tax system (covering tax deferrals,
    2. Helping employers to protect jobs
                                                                  employment support, acceleration of refunds)
    3. Business support through removal of fixed
                                                              ►   Business loan and grant schemes;
       costs and provision of grants
                                                              ►   The social welfare (Pandemic Illness Benefit and
    4. Cash-flow support, including tax deferrals
                                                                  Pandemic Unemployment Benefit)
    5. Administration, including filing extensions
    6. Social welfare

    COVID-19: EMEIA EY Government Support Package – Ireland
COVID-19: EMEIA Government Support Package - Ireland - 24 April 2020 - EY
3                                     Irish Government responses

                       Liquidity and financing                                              Cash flow measures                       Administration

 Strategic Banking Corporation of      Sustaining Enterprise Fund                      For small and medium sized            Extension of certain tax filing
 Ireland (SCBI) COVID-19 Working                                                       enterprises (SMEs) no interest on     deadlines
                                       Repayable advance up to €800K
 Capital Scheme                                                                        late payments for January/February
                                                                                                                             Suspension of surcharge for late
                                       Annual administration fee of 4%                 and March/April Value added tax
 Loans of €25K to €1.5m (first                                                                                               filing of corporation tax returns
                                                                                       (VAT) and February, March and
 €500K unsecured). Maximum             Aimed at firms with 10 or more
                                                                                       April PAYE (Employer’s) liabilities   Suspension of debt enforcement
 interest rate 4%                      employees
                                                                                       VAT repayments and Professional       Extension of filing date for annual
 Future Growth Loan Scheme             Microfinance Ireland
                                                                                       Services Withholding Tax (PSWT)       company returns
 Under the SCBI Future Growth Loan     Business loans increased from                   refunds prioritised
 Scheme longer term loans may be       €25k to €50k. Interest reduced to
                                                                                       Payment of excess R&D tax credits
 available. Maximum interest rate      4.5%
                                                                                       due to be paid to companies in
 4.5%
                                                                                       2020 will be accelerated

                        Fixed costs and grants                                             Employment support                             Welfare

 Support for businesses impacted by    Strategic Consultancy Grant for                 Temporary Wages Subsidy Scheme        COVID-19 Unemployment Benefit
 COVID-19 through commercial rates     SMEs
                                                                                       Enables employees, whose              Enhanced COVID-19 Illness Benefit
 deferral
                                       Covid-19 Business Financial                     employers are affected by COVID-
                                       Planning Grant                                  19, to receive significant support
                                                                                       directly from their employer. The
                                       Local Enterprise Business Continuity
                                                                                       scheme is expected to last 12 weeks
                                       Vouchers (max €2,500)
                                                                                       from 26 March 2020.
                                       COVID-19 Online Retail Scheme
                                                                                       Self employed
                                                                                       Entitled to social welfare COVID-19
                                                                                       unemployment benefit or enhanced
                                                                                       illness benefit

27 April 2020                         COVID-19: EMEIA EY Government Support Package – Ireland
COVID-19: EMEIA Government Support Package - Ireland - 24 April 2020 - EY
4                               Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI)
                                COVID-19 Working Capital Scheme

€450m Strategic Banking         Who is eligible?                                 What does it cover?                Practicalities
Corporation of Ireland          Viable micro, small and medium                   Loans can be used for future       Companies will need to consider if
(SCBI) COVID-19 Working         sized enterprises (SMEs) and                     working capital requirements and   they are eligible to participate and
Capital Scheme                  Small Mid-Cap enterprises that                   to fund innovation, change or      how long it might take to be
Provide loans of between        meet the eligibility criteria                    adaptation of the business to      approved to participate.
€25,000 and €1.5m per                                                            mitigate the impact of COVID-19.   Applicants will be required to submit
                                A Small Mid-Cap is an enterprise
eligible enterprise                                                                                                 a business plan demonstrating the
                                that is not an SME but has fewer                 Loans cannot be used to
                                                                                                                    means by which they intend to
Maximum interest rate of        than 500 employees.                              refinance undertakings in          innovate, change or adapt in
4%.                                                                              financial difficulties or to       response to new challenge.
                                Eligibility criteria provides that
                                                                                 refinance existing debt.
Loan terms ranging from 1       enterprise must satisfy the Covid-                                                  Loan approval is subject to the
year to 3 years.                19 criterion and one of the                                                         banks own credit policies and
                                innovation criteria set out in the                                                  procedures.
Loans unsecured up to
                                scheme rules                                                                        Loans in this Scheme are subject to
€500,000.                                                                        How is it accessed?
                                COVID-19 criterion provides that                                                    the De Minimis state aid threshold
Optional interest-only                                                           An Eligibility Application Form    of €200,000 per undertaking
                                business must be impacted by the
repayments may be                                                                must be submitted (open for        received in the last three year fiscal
                                Covid-19 virus resulting in
available at the start of the                                                    submissions from 23 March          period. In practical terms this will
                                business turnover/profitability
loans (for 3 months).                                                            2020). Forms are available at      determine the maximum duration
                                being negatively impacted by a
                                                                                 www.scbi.gov.ie                    and size of the loan permissible.
The loan amount and term        minimum of 15%
is dependent on the loan                                                         Loan applications can be made to
                                Applicants must have an
purpose.                                                                         financial providers once the
                                eligibility letter from the SBCI.
                                                                                 Eligibility Letter is received.
                                This scheme is not open to                                                          For more information
                                business in the primary                          The Scheme operates from March
                                agriculture or aquaculture                       2020 to March 2021 or until the    Peadar Andrews
                                sectors.                                         scheme has been fully              peadar.andrews@ie.ey.com
                                                                                 subscribed.
                                                                                                                    Tel: +353 1 221 2833
Last updated 15th April 2020

                                COVID-19: EMEIA EY Government Support Package - Ireland
COVID-19: EMEIA Government Support Package - Ireland - 24 April 2020 - EY
5                                   Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI)
                                    Future Growth Loan Scheme

                                    Who is eligible?                                 What does it cover?                 Practicalities
Additional €200m Strategic
Banking Corporation of              This recently announced funding                  Conditions for the new tranches     The new tranches of funding
Ireland (SCBI) COVID-19             will be released in tranches. It is              have yet to be announced.           under the Future Growth Loan
Future Growth Loan Scheme           an extension of an existing Future                                                   Scheme have not yet been
                                                                                     Previous tranches in the context
                                    Growth Loan Scheme delivered in                                                      released. Demand under previous
►   Provide loans of between                                                         of Brexit required long term
                                    2019 in response to Brexit                                                           rounds of this scheme resulted in
    €100,000 and €3m per                                                             investments
                                    concerns.                                                                            a quick take up of available
    eligible enterprise
                                    It is expected to be available to                                                    scheme lending capacity of the
►   Maximum interest rate of                                                                                             main financial institutions.
                                    micro, small and medium sized
    4.5%.
                                    enterprises (SMEs) and Small                                                         Loan approval will be subject to
►   Loan terms ranging from 8       Mid-Cap enterprises in all sectors                                                   the banks own credit policies and
    year to 10 years.               including agri-food that meet the                                                    procedures and overall scheme
►   Loans unsecured up to           eligibility criteria                                                                 limits
    €500,000.                       It will be available to COVID-19                 How is it accessed?                 Loans in this Scheme are subject
►   Optional interest-only          impacted businesses                              Details have yet to be announced.   to the De Minimis state aid
    repayments may be                                                                                                    threshold of €200,000 per
                                                                                     Eligibility application forms are
    available at the start of the                                                                                        undertaking received in the last
                                                                                     currently being accepted through
    loans.                                                                                                               three year fiscal period. In
                                                                                     www.scbi.gov.ie
                                                                                                                         practical terms this will
►   The loan amount and term                                                         Loan applications can be made to    determine the maximum duration
    is dependent on the loan                                                         financial providers once the        and size of any loan permissible.
    purpose.                                                                         Eligibility Letter is received.
The Future Growth Scheme is                                                          Information on release of funding
EU-supported                                                                         may be monitored through
                                                                                     www.scbi.gov.ie                     For more information
                                                                                                                         Peadar Andrews
Last updated 15th April 2020                                                                                             peadar.andrews@ie.ey.com
                                                                                                                         Tel: +353 1 221 2833
                                    COVID-19: EMEIA EY Government Support Package - Ireland
COVID-19: EMEIA Government Support Package - Ireland - 24 April 2020 - EY
6                              Microfinance Ireland COVID-19
                               Business Loan

Business loans up to           Who is eligible?                                 What does it cover?                Practicalities
€50,000 for eligible micro-    Businesses with less than 10                     Loans can be used for working      No penalties for early repayment
enterprises                    employees and up to €2m annual                   capital and required business      or hidden fees.
Loan terms up to a             turnover that are currently                      changes as a result of COVID-19.
                                                                                                                   Applications will require a COVID
maximum of 3 years             trading. Balance sheet net worth
                                                                                                                   19 business plan, cashflow
                               of not more than €2m
6 months interest free and                                                                                         forecasts, bank statements and,
repayment moratorium with      Applies to sole traders,                                                            a Central Credit Register Report
the loan then repayable        partnerships and limited
                                                                                                                   For loans in excess of €25,000
over the remaining 30          companies who are not in a
                                                                                                                   an aged list of trade debtors,
months                         position to avail of bank finance.
                                                                                                                   trade creditors and preferential
Interest rate of 4.5% if       Business must be experiencing a                                                     creditors will be required.
submitted through Local        negative COVID-19 impact on
Enterprise Office or 5.5%      their business (at least 15%                     How is it accessed?
for direct Microfinance        reduction in actual or projected                 Access is via a Local Enterprise
Ireland applications           turnover or profit).                             Office of via registration at
Capital expenditure may be     Open to all micro-enterprises                    www.microfinanceireland.ie
funded over 5 years.           including those in retail and
                               tourism sectors.

                                                                                                                   For more information
                                                                                                                   Peadar Andrews
                                                                                                                   peadar.andrews@ie.ey.com
                                                                                                                   Tel: +353 1 221 2833

Last updated 15th April 2020

                               COVID-19: EMEIA EY Government Support Package - Ireland
COVID-19: EMEIA Government Support Package - Ireland - 24 April 2020 - EY
7
                                Sustaining Enterprise Fund

 €180m Sustaining               Who is eligible?                                 What does it cover?                   Practicalities
 Enterprise Fund- available     This fund is to sustain companies                Support will be available to assist   The required Business
 through Enterprise Ireland     that have suffered a 15%                         companies access the necessary        Sustainment Plan should set out,
 for viable but vulnerable      reduction in actual or projected                 liquidity and funding to sustain      if implemented, how the business
 companies that need to         turnover and/or profit or have                   their businesses in the short to      can be stabilized and return to
 restructure or transform       significant cost increases as a                  medium term.                          viability.
 their businesses.              result of Covid-19                               It will support the                   The plan must identify the extent
 Scheme will operate as an      The scheme is open to eligible                   implementation of a Business          of immediate liquidity needs and
 additional support to the      companies that                                   Sustainment Plan which must be        how the support will remedy the
 Strategic Banking                                                               provided that outlines the            company’s immediate problems.
 Corporation of Ireland         ►   Employ 10 or more full-time
                                                                                 eventual stabilisation of the
 (SBCI) COVID-19 schemes            employees                                                                          State Aid sector exclusions need
                                                                                 business and return to viability.
 and supports available from    ►   Are operating in the                                                               to be noted. This scheme is not
 banks and other financial          manufacturing and                                                                  open to companies that were in
 providers.                         internationally traded services                                                    financial difficulty within the
                                    sectors                                                                            meaning of General Block
 Scheme is EU State Aid                                                          How is it accessed?
                                                                                                                       exemption Regulations on 31
 approved.                      ►   For SMEs, have applied for                   Eligible companies will need to       December 2019.
 It provides for:                   funding from a financial                     provide a Business Sustainment
                                    institution, including where                 Plan.
 ►   repayable advance of up        appropriate under the SCBI
     to €800,000                                                                 Evidence of application for
                                    Covid-19 schemes
                                                                                 funding through SCBI or financial
 ►   3 year grace period            For large companies – have
                                ►                                                institutions is required.             For more information
 ►   Repayable at end of year       applied for funding with
                                                                                 Evidence of the need for Covid-19     Peadar Andrews
     5 on achievement of            appropriate financial
                                                                                 support funding and of a drop of
     project objectives             institutions                                                                       peadar.andrews@ie.ey.com
                                                                                 at least 15% or more in income or
 ►   an annual 4%               Companies active in the primary                  projected income.                     Tel: +353 1 221 2833
     administration fee.        agricultural, fishery and
                                                                                 Access is via Enterprise Ireland
                                aquaculture sectors cannot apply
Last
 -   updated 15th April 2020

                                COVID-19: EMEIA EY Government Support Package - Ireland
COVID-19: EMEIA Government Support Package - Ireland - 24 April 2020 - EY
8                              Employment support: Temporary Wage Subsidy
                               Scheme

The Temporary Wage             Who is eligible?                                 What does it cover?                  Practicalities
Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) is       It applies to employees on the                   Refund payment                       Revenue guidance continuing
available to employers from    payroll on 29 February and for                                                        to evolve as issues emerge with
all sectors whose                                                               Transitional phase to early May:
                               whom a payroll submission has                                                         practical challenges and
businesses are being                                                            max €410 per week where
                               already been made to Revenue in                                                       administration of the scheme.
adversely impacted by                                                           Average Net Weekly Pay (ANWP)
                               the period from 1 February 2020                                                       Revenue are working with
COVID-19.                                                                       (based on Jan/Feb payroll) is less
                               to 15 March 2020.                                                                     payroll software providers to
                                                                                than or equal to €586, or max of
TWSS is open to employers                                                                                            address issues.
                               The scheme includes eligible                     €350 per week where ANWP is
who retain staff on the        employees on fulltime, part‐time                 greater than €586 and less than      In transition phase employers
payroll during COVID-19.       and short‐time work                              or equal to €960.                    receive €410 for each
Provided the employer          arrangements                                                                          employee claimed for. In cases
                                                                                Operational phase from early
meets the conditions and,                                                                                            where this exceeds entitlement
                               Employer must:                                   May: tiered system will apply with
subject to the levels of pay                                                                                         employer obliged to retain and
                                                                                tapering (based on Jan/Feb
to the employees, the          ►   be experiencing significant                                                       refund excess.
                                                                                payroll). Max payment €410.
employer may be eligible for       negative economic disruption
                                                                                                                     Applying limits correctly to
the scheme for some, or all        due to Covid-19;                             From 16 April employees with pre
                                                                                                                     avoid clawback triggers
of its employees.                                                               weekly COVID-19 salary >€960,
                               ►   be able to demonstrate, to the
                                                                                but now < €960 TWSS may apply
The scheme is expected to          satisfaction of Revenue, a
last 12 weeks from 26              minimum of a 25% decline in
March 2020.                        turnover;
                                                                                Application
Revenue telephone              ►   be unable to pay normal wages
helplines are closed but the       and normal outgoings fully;                  Application for the scheme is
National Employer helpline                                                      based on self-assessment
                               ►   retain their employees on the
(353 1 7383638) remains                                                         principles, a qualifying employer    For more information
                                   payroll; and
open to support TWSS                                                            declares that it is significantly    Michael Rooney (Personal
queries                                                                         impacted by the crisis.              Advisory Services)
                                                                                Employers register for the           michael.rooney@ie.ey.com
Last updated 15th April 2020                                                    scheme with Revenue
                                                                                                                     Tel: +353 1 221 2857
                               COVID-19: EMEIA EY Government Support Package - Ireland
COVID-19: EMEIA Government Support Package - Ireland - 24 April 2020 - EY
9                              Other employment issues

On 27 March the                E-working                                        Practical considerations            For more information
Government asked               Consider if employees working                    A ‘formal agreement’ will be        Michael Rooney (Personal
everyone to stay at home       from home as a result of COVID-                  required to be in place             Advisory Services)
except for those providing     19 measures will qualify as
essential specified services                                                    Terms and conditions of             michael.rooney@ie.ey.com
                               eworkers, enabling employees to
and for other specified                                                         employment should be reviewed.
                               claim certain expenses and                                                           Tel: +353 1 221 2857
reasons such as food and       allowances and to avail of
medicine shopping, medical     equipment required without the
appointments.                  application of benefit-in-kind
                               provisions

                               Benefit-in-kind provisions                       Practical considerations            For more information
                               COVID-19 impacts on the                          A review should be carried out to   Michael Rooney (Personal
                               application of benefit-in-kind                   assess benefits in place.           Advisory Services)
                               provisions, including employer                                                       michael.rooney@ie.ey.com
                               provided vehicles, employer
                               provided accommodation and the                                                       Tel: +353 1 221 2857
                               small benefit exemption

                               Share Option Schemes
                               Consider if this is an opportune
                               time to consider share option
                               schemes while share valuations
                               might be temporarily low.

Last updated 15th April 2020

                               COVID-19: EMEIA EY Government Support Package - Ireland
COVID-19: EMEIA Government Support Package - Ireland - 24 April 2020 - EY
10                             Cash flow support: Government tax measures

Deferral of PAYE/VAT           Tax payments                                     Practical considerations            For more information
payments possible without      For SMEs no interest on late                     For this purpose an SME is a        Michael Rooney (Personal
imposition of interest         payments for January/February                    business with turnover < €3         Advisory Services)
Contact with Revenue           and March/April VAT and                          million and who is not dealt with   michael.rooney@ie.ey.com
should be made via             February, March and April PAYE                   by Revenue’s Large Cases
Revenue.ie and accessing       (Employer’s) liabilities                         Division or Medium Enterprises      Tel: +353 1 221 2857
Revenue’s Online Service                                                        Division.
                               Taxpayers should continue to file
(ROS) / My Enquiries / My      their tax returns even if payment                Business other than SMEs must
Account.                                                                                                            Deirdre Hogan (Indirect Taxes)
                               of the resulting liabilities, in                 engage directly with Revenue on
Revenue telephone              whole or in part, is not possible                debt management.                    deirdre.hogan@ie.ey.com
helplines are currently                                                                                             Tel: +353 1 221 2433
closed, however the ROS
helpline (353 1 7383699)
is operational.                Prioritizing of refunds/repayments Practical considerations                          For more information
                               Acceleration of Professional                     Requests to expedite R&D            Peadar Andrews
                               Services Withholding Tax (PSWT)                  instalments must be made            peadar.andrews@ie.ey.com
                               and VAT refunds                                  through Revenue My Enquiries.
                                                                                                                    Tel: +353 1 221 2833
                               Early payment of 2020 instalments
                               of excess R&D tax credits.
                               Repayments will not be impacted by                                                   Ian Collins (R&D Tax Services)
                               the absence of iXBRL accounts                                                        ian.collins@ie.ey.com
                               (where applicable) for accounting
                               periods ending on or after March                                                     +353 1 221 2638
                               2019.
                               All debt enforcement activity is
                               suspended until further notice.
Last updated 15th April 2020

                               COVID-19: EMEIA EY Government Support Package - Ireland
11                             Cash flow support: Cash tax management

The Government’s               Tax payments                                     Practical considerations              For more information
announcements are not the      Review tax payments to assess if                 Some tax deductions are given on      Peadar Andrews
only ways to manage cash       in line with liabilities and claim               a ‘payments’ basis such as
tax. There are other tax                                                                                              peadar.andrews@ie.ey.com
                               repayments or adjust payments if                 employer pension contributions
related measures, which are    required.                                        and interest and royalties relieved   Tel: +353 1 221 2833
not specific to COVID-19, to                                                    as a ‘charge’ on income. Consider
manage liquidity.              Consider debt management
                                                                                the timing of payments in light of
                               options available with Revenue.
                                                                                any revised expected outcomes
                                                                                for the year.

                               Capital allowances                               Practical considerations              For more information
                               Carry out a review of capital                                                          Ian Collins
                               allowance to ensure claims are                                                         ian.collins@ie.ey.com
                               made.
                                                                                                                      +353 1 221 2638

                               VAT                                              Practical considerations              For more information
                               Identify and release trapped                                                           Deirdre Hogan (Indirect Taxes)
                               indirect taxes and consider the                                                        deirdre.hogan@ie.ey.com
                               indirect tax implications of supply
                               chain disruption                                                                       Tel: +353 1 221 2433

Last updated 15th April 2020

                               COVID-19: EMEIA EY Government Support Package - Ireland
12                             Fixed costs: Business rates and property
                               considerations

Rate deferrals will be dealt   Business rates                                   Practical considerations              For more information
with by each Local             The Government has agreed with                   Businesses will need to liaise        Cian O’Donovan (Real Estate)
Authority                      local authorities that they should               directly with their Local Authority   cian.odonovan@ie.ey.com
                               agree to defer rates payments
                               due from the most immediately                                                          Tel: +353 1 479 4084
For a period of 3 months
                               impacted businesses - primarily in
residential rent increases
                               the retail, hospitality, leisure and
and termination of
                               childcare sectors, for three
tenancies are prohibited
                               months, until end-May. This
                               measure will be implemented by
                               each local authority in its own
                               area.

                                                                                Practical considerations              For more information
                               Commercial tenancies
                                                                                Lessees will need to negotiate        Cian O’Donovan (Real Estate
                               COVID-19 legislation introduced
                                                                                with landlords as regards rent        Tax)
                               in relation to tenancies does not
                               cover commercial tenants                         payment deferrals/holidays            cian.odonovan@ie.ey.com
                                                                                                                      Tel: +353 1 479 4084

Last updated 15th April 2020

                               COVID-19: EMEIA EY Government Support Package - Ireland
13                             Grants and sector-specific measures

Grants are cash-payments       Covid-19 Business Financial                   Practical considerations          For more information
for organizations.             Planning Grant                                Applications open to all          Peadar Andrews
Existing grants continue as    A grant of up to €5,000, to help              Enterprise Ireland clients and    peadar.andrews@ie.ey.com
usual and there are new        companies develop financial                   companies employing 10 or more
new grants for COVID-19        plans, including to support                   in the manufacturing and          Tel: +353 1 221 2833
related activities.            external finance                              internationally traded services
                                                                             sector. Online application.
A separate Credit Guarantee
Scheme for COVID-19 also
exists
                               Business Continuity Voucher                   Practical considerations          For more information
                               Businesses which are seeking                  Applications open to businesses   Peadar Andrews
                               support to assist with business               across every sector that employ   peadar.andrews@ie.ey.com
                               continuity and preparedness                   up to 50 people
                               connected to the COVID-19                                                       Tel: +353 1 221 2833
                               outbreak, may be provided with a
                               voucher of up to €2,500

                               Trading Online Voucher                        Practical considerations          For more information
                               Voucher of up to €2,500 for                   Applications made via Local       Peadar Andrews
                               small businesses with up to 10                Enterprise Office.
                                                                                                               peadar.andrews@ie.ey.com
                               employees seeking to help the
                               business trade online.                                                          Tel: +353 1 221 2833

Last updated 15th April 2020

                                    COVID-19: EMEIA EY Government Support Package - Ireland
14                             Grants and sector-specific measures (continued)

Grants are cash-payments       Covid-19 Online Retail Scheme                    Practical considerations                  For more information
for organizations.             Administered by Enterprise                       Applications are open to Irish-owned      Peadar Andrews
                                                                                retailers employing over 10 people on
Existing grants continue as    Ireland this offers grants between                                                         peadar.andrews@ie.ey.com
                                                                                or before 29 February 2020 with
usual and there are new        €10,000 and €40,000 to                           potential to sustain or create jobs.
new grants for COVID-19        support companies in the                                                                   Tel: +353 1 221 2833
related activities.            indigenous retail sector with a                  The scheme will be administered by
                               pre-existing online presence.                    Enterprise Ireland’s online application
                                                                                system on behalf of the Department
                               Grant funding for successful                     of Business, Enterprise and Innovation
                               projects will be to a maximum of                 (DBEI). Applications will be through a
                               80% of eligible project costs.                   competitive public call for submission
                                                                                of projects. Applicants must be Irish
                               Companies providing hospitality                  incorporated companies [Date to be
                               and leisure services are excluded                announced].
                               as are certain other business
                                                                                Franchisees may be excluded if
                               types.
                                                                                franchisor provides material online
                                                                                support.

Last updated 15th April 2020

                               COVID-19: EMEIA EY Government Support Package - Ireland
15                             Administration and governance

                               Regulatory expectations and                      Practical considerations                       For more information
Businesses will have to        filings                                          Businesses should consider who should be       Peadar Andrews
consider the practicality of   The challenge for business is maintaining        responsible for monitoring
holding board, shareholder     compliance with guidance from regulators.        regulatory/government announcements and        peadar.andrews@ie.ey.com
                               Certain regulators (e.g., Companies              guidance, as well as ensuring that COVID-19
and annual general                                                              business impacts can be quickly escalated to   Tel: +353 1 221 2833
                               Registration Office) have issued specific
meetings along with issues     guidance but generally basic compliance          directors.
raised by isolation of key     requirements will remain.                        Consideration should also be given to
officers.                      Listed companies announcement                    monitoring reporting deadlines, applying for
                               requirements for material change; financial      relief from filing certain reports if
A review of constitutional     reporting requirements; increased access to      appropriate and reviewing the potential
                                                                                impact on all information due to be
documents may be needed        confidential market sensitive data about
                               COVID-19/insider information risk.               reported.
to allow remote meetings
                                                                                Where appropriate, consider strategy for
and electronic signatures as   All annual returns due to be filed with the
                                                                                engagement with sector specific regulators.
                               Companies Registration Office now and up
well as giving consideration   to 30 June 2020 will be deemed to have
to alternates and powers of    been filed on time if completed and filed by
attorney to check who has      that date.
authority to take necessary    Director’s duties                                Practical considerations                       For more information
actions at short notice.
                               Directors will be making decisions at short      Business should consider how to protect        Peadar Andrews
Businesses will also need to   notice, against an uncertain background.         directors against wrongful trading and
monitor and review             There are legal exposures, both corporate        other insolvency-linked liabilities,           peadar.andrews@ie.ey.com
                               and personal.
                                                                                including taking best practice
communications, including                                                                                                      Tel: +353 1 221 2833
                               Businesses will also need to consider the        governance actions to protect against
social media, to reduce        impact of travel restrictions on residency       liability and the potential unwinding of
reputational and brand risk.   arrangements from tax and other                  transactions.
                               perspectives. Where an individual is present
                               in Ireland due to COVID-19 travel                Duties to creditors may be especially
                               restrictions, Irish Revenue will be prepared     key in difficult trading scenarios and
                               to disregard such presence in Ireland for        seeking advice here may be important.
                               corporation tax purposes for a company in
                               relation to which the individual is an           Alternative ways of taking board
                               employee, director, service provider or          decisions may be appropriate as may
                               agent. Presence in another jurisdiction due      limiting the involvement of particular
                               to COVID-19 travel restrictions will also be     board members if they cannot attend
                               disregarded.                                     meetings.
Last updated 15th April 2020

                               COVID-19: EMEIA EY Government Support Package - Ireland
16                                 Administration - Revenue

The Irish Revenue has             Administration – Revenue                        PAYE Dispensation Applications:      For more information
extended a number of                                                              Irish Revenue will not strictly
                                  Corporation tax surcharge: The                  enforce the 30 day notification      Peadar Andrews
reporting and filing deadlines.   application of a surcharge for late             requirement for PAYE                 peadar.andrews@ie.ey.com
                                  CT1 Corporation Tax returns and                 dispensations which is applicable
                                  iXBRL financial statements                      to short term business travellers    Tel: +353 1 221 2833
                                  (where applicable) for accounting               from countries with which Ireland
                                  periods ending June 2019                        has a double taxation treaty who
                                  onwards (i.e. due by March 23,                  are going to spend in excess of
                                  2020 onwards) is suspended until                60 workdays in Ireland in a tax
                                  further notice                                  year.
                                  Share schemes filing obligations:               Foreign Employments - Operation
                                  The filing deadline for all 2019                of PAYE: Irish Revenue will not
                                  share scheme returns is being                   seek to enforce Irish payroll
                                  extended from 31 March 2020 to                  obligations for foreign employers
                                  30 June 2020.                                   in genuine cases where an
                                  Special Assignee Relief                         employee was working abroad for
                                  Programme (SARP): The 90-day                    a foreign entity prior to COVID-19
                                  employer filing obligation is                   but relocates temporarily to
                                  extended for a further 60 days                  Ireland during the Covid-19
                                                                                  period and performs duties for
                                  Deadline for claiming a real-time               his or her foreign employer while
                                  foreign tax credit on RSUs                      in Ireland
                                  provided through payroll: 31
                                  March 2020 deadline is                          Local property tax: 2020
                                  suspended, filing date will revert              Payment date extended from 21
                                  to standard filing date of 31                   March to 21 May 2020
                                  October 2020 for that return.

Last updated 15th April 2020

                                   COVID-19: EMEIA EY Government Support Package - Ireland
17                               Global EY COVID-19 Stimulus Response Tracker

Our tracker provides a           Key jurisdictions covered by the Response Tracker include:
snapshot of the policy
changes that have been           ►   Australia                      ►   Denmark            ►   Luxembourg           ►   Spain
announced in jurisdictions
                                 ►   Austria                        ►   France             ►   Malaysia             ►   Sweden
around the world in
response to the COVID-19         ►   Belgium                        ►   Germany            ►   New Zealand          ►   Switzerland
crisis.                          ►   Brazil                         ►   Greece             ►   Norway               ►   Taiwan
Policy changes across the        ►   Canada                         ►   Hong Kong          ►   Puerto Rico          ►   Thailand
globe are being proposed
and implemented on a daily       ►   China Mainland                 ►   Indonesia          ►   Singapore            ►   Ukraine
basis.                           ►   Colombia                       ►   Ireland            ►   Slovak Republic      ►   United Kingdom
The document will be             ►   Cyprus                         ►   Italy              ►   Slovenia             ►   United States
updated on an ongoing
basis but not all entries will   ►   Czech Republic                 ►   Japan              ►   South Korea
necessarily be up to date as
the process moves forward.

                                                                                           To download the latest Response Tracker visit:
                                                                                           ey.com/en_us/tax/how-covid-19-is-causing-
                                                                                           governments-to-adopt-economic-stimulus--

27 April 2020                    COVID-19: EMEIA EY Government Support Package - Ireland
Contact
 18

Peadar Andrews          Deirdre Hogan               Michael Rooney                  Cian O’Donovan         Ian Collins
Corporate Tax           Indirect Taxes              Personal Advisory               Real Estate Tax        Research &
                                                    Services                                               Development
peadar.andrews@ie.ey.   deirdre.hogan@ie.ey.co                                      cian.odonovan@ie.ey
com                     m                           michael.rooney@ie.ey.com        .com                   ian.collins@ie.ey.com
Tel: +353 1 221 2833    Tel: +353 1 221 2433        Tel: +353 1 221 2857            Tel: +353 1 479 4084   +353 1 221 2638

James Burrow            Luke Charleton
Global Compliance       Restructuring
Reporting
                        luke.charleton@ie.ey.c
James.burrows@ie.ey.    om
com
                        +353 1 221 2103
+353 1 221 1249

27 April 2020                       COVID-19: EMEIA EY Government Support Package
EY | Assurance | Tax | Transactions | Advisory

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