Tánaiste Announces Details of Second Call to the Employment Subsidy Scheme
07 December, 2009
The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Ms. Mary Coughlan, T.D., announced details of a second broader call for applications for the Employment Subsidy Scheme at a cost of €65 million.
This brings the total financial allocation for this scheme to €135 million. The Second Call will be open to exporting and non-exporting companies from all sectors of the economy that employ more than 10 employees.
The Tánaiste said, “The Employment Subsidy Scheme is designed to support the maintenance of vulnerable jobs and prevent people from being made redundant. In this difficult economic environment the Employment Subsidy Scheme is enabling the State to protect vulnerable employment, which may otherwise have been lost without this subsidy.”
Speaking about the Employment Subsidy Scheme the Tánaiste stated, “Under the First Call 470 employers and a total of over 7,700 jobs will receive a subsidy of €9,100 over fifteen months at a cost of approximately €70 million. As a result of the First Call, companies have now committed, as part of their application, to retaining a total of 36,000 jobs.”
The Tánaiste continued “I have decided to proceed with a second broader call which will be open to all sectors of the economy and will provide enterprises with much needed support in these difficult economic times. Given the fact that many enterprises have reduced the working hours of their employees, the Second Call will be open to enterprises that employ their employees for less than an average of 35 hours per week.”
“There will now be two bands within the Second Call. Under the first band employees must work an average of 35 hours or more per week and enterprises will receive a subsidy of €9,100 paid over a twelve-month period for each subsidised job. Under the second band employees must work an average of 21 or more hours per week, but less than 35 hours a week and enterprises will receive a subsidy of €6,370 (70% of the full subsidy) over a twelve-month period for each subsidised job.”
Hours Employed Percentage of Subsidy per job Amount of Subsidy per job
Band 1 35 hours or more 100% €9,100
Band 2 21 but less than 35 hours 70% €6,370
Making the announcement the Tánaiste said, “It is expected that the €65 million of the Second Call will support a similar number of jobs to the First Call. I would encourage enterprises to consider making an application and log onto the dedicated website www.employmentsubsidy.ie or call 1850 211 535.”
Enterprises can make applications to the Second Call from (2.00 p.m. on Tuesday 8th December) and the deadline for applications is 23rd December 2009.