Sole traders who have been left out of work by Covid-19 can now apply for up to a €1000 euro grant from their social welfare office.
€12 million has been set aside for the Enterprise Support Grant, aimed at tradespeople, taxi drivers and others who cannot get the restart grant.
To qualify, a business owner must have come off the Pandemic Unemployment Payment after May 17th – when then national lockdown was first eased.
Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys explains how to apply for the grant.
"The funding is now available for people to make this application, it is a two page application.
"You go onto the Department of Social Protection website, you download the application form and send it to your local Intreo office."
She also added that the grant will then be issued to the sole trader once the application is processed by Intreo.
You can apply for the Enterprise Support Grant if you met the criteria here
Apprenticeship programme
This comes after the government recently announced an apprenticeship incentive programme for businesses worth €3,000.
The scheme, which was launched by Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris on Wednesday, is designed to increase the number of apprenticeships across the country and increase employment.
Mr Harris said the apprenticeships will "play a key part in Ireland's recovery and our country's future".
“It is a really exciting option for people of different ages, genders and backgrounds, career changers and school leavers, to forge brilliant careers for themselves," he added.
