Finance minister Paschal  Donohoe has confirmed that there will be no change to the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) for the month of October.

The minister added that no decisions have yet been taken as to the operational parameters for EWSS for the remainder of Quarter 4 2021 (November and December) and its possible extension beyond end-2021.

A spokesman said Donohoe is considering a range of possible options for the future of EWSS and such arrangements will be outlined when Budget 2022 is presented on October 12.

The minister (pictured) stated: “The government and I have committed on multiple occasions that there will be no ‘cliff edge’ to supports for business. I am currently considering different options as regards the future of EWSS and I intend to outline the full arrangements on Budget Day.

“Pending those decisions, I am pleased to announce that the Government has agreed today that the EWSS will continue in its current form for the month of October which provides clarity and certainty for businesses.”

In Association with

The main EWSS eligibility requirement is a 30% decrease in turnover or customer orders in the full year 2021 compared to the full year 2019.

As of September 24, over €4.8 billion and PRSI credit of almost €770 million have been granted to 51,400 employers in respect of 660,400 employees availing of EWSS.