Cost Of Living Crisis

Government to expand energy support scheme for businesses

Business Energy Support Scheme to be tweaked after low take-up; no new €200 electricity bill credits for households for now; and the Vat rate for the hospitality sector expected to increase from 9 per cent to 13.5 per cent

Eamon Ryan, Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications and Transport, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Tánaiste Micheál Martin: the government is expected to alter or end a number of the measures contained in the cost of living package announced last September. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos

The new cost of living package to be announced this week will expand the temporary business energy support scheme (TBESS), in a sign that last year’s effort to ease inflationary pressures on businesses did not work as expected.

The government is expected to alter or end a number of the measures contained in the package announced last September as the energy crisis has eased, and there are concerns that a large giveaway in spring could ...