Gaeltacht businesses urged to restructure due to COVID-19

Údarás na Gaeltachta has strongly recommended to small and medium-sized Gaeltacht businesses that they immediately implement appropriate steps in response to the challenges caused by Brexit and COVID-19 restrictions.

In addition to the continuous support provided by Údarás na Gaeltachta to Gaeltacht companies in this context, it has set out a range of practical supports for Gaeltacht companies as the Brexit deadline approaches.

Supports available to companies include:

• A Brexit supports information hub on www.udaras.ie;
• A series of webinars to share appropriate expertise;
• Direct email campaign to all client companies regarding Brexit supports;
• A series of follow up communications with tips/reminders for businesses to act upon;
• Continuing with [email protected] as a dedicated contact/support function for companies.

With under 45 days left until Brexit, it is important that companies take practical steps in order to mitigate, as far as possible, the impact of Brexit on their businesses.

Companies throughout the country have faced extremely difficult periods over the past few months as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertainty surrounding Brexit.

In order to provide suitable and appropriate advice to businesses, a webinar series with well-known business experts has been organised by Údarás na Gaeltachta to assist with sustaining the Gaeltacht business in a time of crisis.

Gaeltacht businesses: What they need to learn 

The webinar series entitled Doing business in a time of Crisis, with industry experts, will focus on the following topics:

Seminar one: Sustaining your business 

– The basic steps which you should return to in order to avoid or minimise challenges. Will take place 18/11/20, 10 am-11 am.

Seminar two: Regenerate your business

– How to innovate and diversify to discover new markets. 02/12/20, 10 am-11 am.

 Seminar three: Scale your business

– How to explore exports and different aspects of international markets. 08/12/20, 10 am-11 am.

Údarás na Gaeltachta in association with the Department Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport, and Media, assisted with the compilation of a report published recently by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on the impact of Brexit on Gaeltacht companies and the guidance given and recommendations made by the organisation in the report are being followed in ensuring that the appropriate supports and advice are available to small Gaeltacht companies.

Údarás na Gaeltachta has approved €3.35m in essential COVID-19 supports to Gaeltacht businesses as they address the difficulties created by the Coronavirus pandemic.

Over 410 Gaeltacht companies have benefitted to date from Údarás na Gaeltachta’s COVID-19 support schemes to assist them with the ongoing funding of their businesses, implement financial planning, and how best to use online global sales markets.

Údarás na Gaeltachta, in conjunction with Enterprise Ireland, has approved up to €2.35m in support to Gaeltacht companies as they undertake financial planning and while also providing sustaining enterprise funds.

Just over €1m was approved in financial assistance to 413 Gaeltacht businesses in the past few months through the Online Trading Voucher Scheme and the COVID-19 Business Continuity Vouchers Scheme.

Funding for both these schemes were provided from funds from Údarás na Gaeltachta, the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, and the Department of the Environment, Climate, and Communications.

Mícheál Ó hÉanaigh, Chief Executive, Údarás na Gaeltachta said,

“Arising from the result of the United Kingdom’s Brexit referendum and the ongoing uncertainty of what form the eventual exit will take, Údarás na Gaeltachta has been in ongoing contact with client companies throughout the various Gaeltacht areas in this regard and has been placing particular focus on those companies with the greatest potential vulnerability to Brexit.

Brexit has posed a particular challenge to smaller Gaeltacht companies which have also had to focus on the difficulties arising from the COVID-19 pandemic since earlier this year.

Údarás na Gaeltachta will continue to work in close partnership with Gaeltacht companies to address the challenges posed by Brexit and to ensure that they are prepared as well as possible for the eventual outcome.

We will continue to work in close cooperation with all relevant agencies and Government Departments as part of a coordinated approach to this issue.”

Anna Ní Ghallachair, Údarás na Gaeltachta’s Board Chairperson, said:

“No other generation of Gaeltacht businesspeople have had to struggle with the challenges faced by Gaeltacht companies over the past year as this generation.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, Brexit, and other international geopolitical changes Gaeltacht companies have shown great resilience to remain in business and address challenges head-on.

The State needs to ensure that the appropriate and sufficient supports are available in order for Gaeltacht businesses to recover, and it has been proven previously that the State receives a substantial repayment on such investments.

A hugely significant €3.35m of essential support has been approved for Gaeltacht companies by Údarás na Gaeltachta itself and in conjunction with Enterprise Ireland.

The Board of Údarás na Gaeltachta will continue to work alongside the organisation’s executive and the Department Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to ensure that the case of Gaeltacht companies continues to be made on a national basis and we are grateful for the resources made available to Gaeltacht companies as they address the forthcoming challenges.

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