Applications for the Restart Grant which will give direct grant aid to micro and small businesses to help them with the costs associated with either staying open or reopening and reemploying workers following COVID-19 closures are being accepted from today, Friday, May 22.Businesses in Fingal, which fulfill the criteria, must apply for the Restart Grant though Fingal County Council. Applications are to be submitted on-line at https://submit.link/E5RPFand details of the scheme are also available on the Fingal County Council website,www.fingal.ie/businessThe Grant will be equivalent to the rates bill of the business in 2019, with a minimum payment of €2,000 and a maximum payment of €10,000. It will be available to businesses with a turnover of less than €5m and employing 50 people or less, which were closed or impacted by at least a 25% loss in revenue from April 1, 2020 to June 30, 2020. Eligible businesses who have stayed open throughout the crisis, as well as those who are reopening under Phase 1 (from 18 May) and Phase 2 (8 June) of the Government’s Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business, are encouraged to apply now for the Restart Grant. These applications will be prioritised for payment. Other businesses are requested to wait until a few weeks before their business is due to reopen before submitting their application. To avail of the Restart Grant:A business must have a turnover of less than €5m and have 50 or less employees.The business must have suffered a projected 25%+ loss in revenue from 1st April 2020 to 30th June 2020.The business must commit to remain open or to reopen if it was closed. The business must also declare the intention to retain employees that are benefitting from the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS).Businesses should retain supporting documentation as spot-checks may be carried out to verify a declaration to this effect.