23rd December 2020
The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar TD has written to every registered business in Ireland to urge them to prepare for Brexit, to thank them for the burden they have carried in the fight against Covid-19 and to inform them of changes to the National Minimum Wage and Illness Benefit in 2021.
The letter from the Tánaiste, which has issued to approximately 225,000 businesses registered with the Companies Registration Office (CRO), will thank business owners for the work they have done over the past year in preventing the spread of the virus.
In the letter, the Tánaiste states:
Business has had to shoulder a huge burden. Thank you for all you’ve done, for keeping our economy going, for keeping so many people in employment and for co-operating with all the public health restrictions. Your efforts have saved many lives and prevented many more from getting sick”
The letter urges business owners to prepare urgently for the changes that will come into effect from January 1st, with Britain’s exit from the single market and customs union.
In the letter, the Tánaiste states:
It is now only days away from the next Brexit milestone. Britain will leave the single market and customs union on the 1st of January. This will mean significant changes for you and your business, in often unexpected ways.
I urge you in the limited time remaining to prepare for these changes now. The Government is here to help, training, advice and financial support are available.
An excellent place to start is to fill out the Brexit Readiness Checker which will give you a report on exactly what needs to be done for your individual business. I know this feels like another hurdle after an impossible year but please seek out the help that is there and prepare now.”
Finally, the Tánaiste has taken the opportunity to highlight to businesses, the changes to the National Minimum Wage and Illness Benefit that will be taking place in the new year. From the 1st of January 2021, the National Minimum Wage will rise by 10c to €10.20 an hour. There will also be a change to Illness Benefit from March next year, which will mean employees will be eligible for the payment, after a period of three days of illness, down from six previously. This will reduce the financial burden on those employers who currently provide sick pay for staff.
The letter includes all relevant information and contact details to help businesses access more information on the Government grants and advice that are available for Brexit and the changes to both the National Minimum Wage and Illness Benefit.
ENDS
Notes for Editor
For further information on supports and advice available to businesses affected by Brexit visit enterprise.gov.ie/Brexit.
ENDS
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