Relevant Matter
Matters involving public funds
Public Policy Area
Finance
Period
1 Jan, 2023 to 30 Apr, 2023
Specific Details
Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (TBESS)
Intended results
To highlight how some agri-businesses, for example those involved in the production of soft fruits, will not qualify for the Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (TBESS) as their costs had already increased significantly by September 2021, mainly because they buy gas at a daily rate, when the scheme was introduced in Budget 2023.
- By September 2021 this rate was at a multiple of the average price for the previous number of years which means many of these businesses, who have suffered greatly from the increase in energy cost do not qualify for the Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (TBESS), this putting the long-term viability of these businesses under threat.
To emphasise the issues surrounding the application for this scheme through the Revenue Online System (ROS). for many farmers, and others in agri-business, their accountants or advisors deal with any return on ROS on their behalf. This means that the accountant or advisor will also need to make this application. Reports to IFA of instances where the cost to make the monthly claim outweighs the actual support support are common.
To ask the Minister for Finance to review the terms and conditions of the scheme and how it operates.
That the average energy cost across 2021 be taken as the base for any claim. This would alleviate the issue for many where their costs had already increased significantly by September 2021 .
To recommend that one application is made to cover the 6 months of this scheme to reduce the administrative cost to applicants.
Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity
Tim Cullinan IFA President, Damian McDonald IFA Director General, Rosemary McDonagh IFA Farm Business Chair, Karol Kissane IFA Senior Policy Executive
Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?)
No
Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign?
No
Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client?
No
Lobbying activity
The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.
Informal communication (2-5)
Designated public officials lobbied
The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them.
As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.
Brendan Gleeson
Secretary General (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Charlie McConalogue
Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Michael McGrath
Minister (Department of Finance)
Kevin Barrett
Special Adviser (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform)
Grant Sweetnam
Special Adviser (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform)