< Previous© April 2020 The Meath Coaster 30 Laytown Tidy Towns S adly we have decided that we have to suspend our Saturday morning activi- ties during this pandemic. We look for- ward to the time when we can resume our work..... We worked at the beginning of March to put in place five new planters complete with Buxus Spiral Trees in the village. We think they look well! We also planted two Weeping Willows near the Nanny Estuary. We will continue to water these trees indi- vidually during this difficult time. We feel we can do small jobs like this one person at a time but group activities are not sensi- ble at the moment! Once again someone dumped six bags of household rubbish at the bottle banks in Laytown last weekend. It is unbelievable that people think this is acceptable behaviour. Who do they expect to clear their mess? We have re- quested the return of CCTV at the carpark and are hopeful that this will happen very soon. Even so, if you ever see anybody flytipping please notify Environment at Meath Co. Council. As we said earlier we hope to resume our activities as soon as possible. We wish you all well during this strange and dif- ficult time…..stay safe! §© April 2020 The Meath Coaster 31© April 2020 The Meath Coaster 32 Bettystown Tidy Towns (BTT) Unfortunately due to Covid 19 our vol- unteers will be restricting their work around the town and any work that we conduct will be done individually and not in groups and social distanc- ing will be maintained at all times. We would like to thank local resident and designer, Deborah Anderson, who very kindly volunteered her services to us. Deborah has created the logo above for BTT and is helping us with some other design work. Thank you Deborah, we really appreciate your help. Due to so- cial distancing we have yet to meet, all interactions have been electronically! Before social distancing restrictions were introduced the volunteers started work on the creation of a green area at the beach entrance by the brook, on the Coast Road. Our thanks to Carroll Estates, developers of Sraid na Tra and Cois na Mara, and to Ollie Cawley site foreman, who contrib- uted to this project and continue to support our works around the town. The existing hedge has been cut back, a new fence has been in- stalled and some shrubs planted. Further work is planned once social dis- tancing restrictions are lifted. The volunteers took on the task of clear- ing the streams on the Eastham Road and Triton Road. These streams form a critical part of the road drainage system and rub- bish blocking these streams adds to local road flooding issues, which we witnessed at the Triton Road roundabout in February. A full trailer of rubbish was collected in addition to a number of wheelbarrows of weeds and grit removed from the kerb verges along Triton Road. Our thanks to the local students from ELI College, Merchants Quay Drogheda, who volunteered with us when we were cleaning the Triton Road. In February we held a photo competition on our Facebook page to create a beach Before work started at the brook With new fence and some plants© April 2020 The Meath Coaster 33 banner that we plan on erecting near the Bettystown beach entrance. Our thanks to everyone who submitted an entry. We are working with our designer, Deborah, and local printer Val Darcy of Budget Signs on creating this banner and hope to announce the winner shortly. We are continuing with the development of our plans for the enhancement of the town for the summer. In the meantime, listen to the advice from the HSE and keep your Social Distancing. § Volunteers at workA trailer of rubbish from the streams Students of ELI College, Drogheda. © April 2020 The Meath Coaster 34 A s schools remain closed and students have eased into distance learning and teaching, we take this opportunity to wish students and staff, their families and the wider community well during this diffi- cult time. North Leinster Shield Winners Huge congratulations to the Senior GAA Team on winning the North Leinster Shield beating Ardscoil Granard, Long- ford 4-10 to 1-03 in the final. Well done to everyone involved. Badminton Leinster Finalists Two of the college’s Badminton Teams made it through to the Leinster Finals re- cently - the U16s Boys and Girls teams. Despite closely contested matches the teams did not make it through to the All- Ireland Finals but this does not take away from finishing in the top two teams for the whole of Leinster - they did their school, their coach Mr Paddy Bird and most im- portantly themselves, proud. Important to note the contribution of Mr Paddy Bird to badminton in Gormanston over many years. He has been extremely dedicated and committed to the promotion of the sport in the College, amongst boys and girls. We are all very grateful for his im- mense contribution. Bake Sale in aid of Peter McVerry Trust Congratulations to Transition Year stu- dents on the fundraiser they held in aid of the Peter McVerry Trust raising over €300 for a cause working to resolve homeless- ness. Fr Eamonn Newell Library With the arrival of 5 boxes of Young Adult Books donated by local libraries com- bined with extensive ‘book weeding’ the library was in top condition to celebrate World Book Day recently. Lots of fun Franciscan College Gormanston Girls U16 badminton team…© April 2020 The Meath Coaster 35 competitions were run along with awards for the top 8 readers. Whilst the school is closed we encourage students to keep reading at home and suggest the follow- ing websites to help you with the choice of books: www.childrensbooksireland.ie, www.lovereadingforkids.co.uk and www. fantasticfiction.com. Childrens Books Ireland website includes competitions, recommended reads by Irish authors and details of short-listed Childrens Books Ireland Awards 2020. Boys badminton U16s team. https://www.edco.ie/© April 2020 The Meath Coaster 36 Continuity Planning for Business - Meath LEO Some updates and information regard- ing the current emergency A useful link, that is being updated reg- ularly with information on supports: https://www.localenterprise.ie/response Mentoring - LEO Mentoring support will continue to be available to small business- es throughout the county, by telephone & Skype/Zoom. MicroFinance Ireland - MFI, the Gov- ernment backed loan facility available via LEO, has extended its loan limit from €25k to a max of €50k under a new ‘COV- ID-19 loan scheme. This ‘COVID-19’ loan offers a full mor- atorium on repayments for the first 6 months (with no interest applied during the 6 months). This will predominately be available to meet cash-flow/ working capital needs of microbusinesses (those employing up to 10 people). Note that is is for existing businesses only Rates - The Government has agreed with local authorities that they should defer rates payments due from the most imme- diately impacted businesses - primarily in the retail, hospitality, leisure and childcare sectors, for three months, until end-May. This measure will be implemented by each local authority in its own area. www.housing.gov.ie/local-government/ covid-19-coronavirus/support-business- es-impacted-covid-19-through-commer- cial-rates Also, the Dept of Employment Affairs and Social Protection has introduced a Covid-19 Emergency Unemployment Payment, details of this are available at the link below: www.localenterprise.ie/Discover-Busi- ness-Supports/Covid-19/COVID19_Job- seekers-Emergency-Payments_Guide.pdf Included below are some practical steps all businesses can take: 1. Talk to your bank All the banks have announced that they will offer flexibility to their customers, and they may be able to provide payment holidays or emergency working capital facilities. 2. Take immediate steps to manage your cashflows Look for scope to: • Lower variable costs • Delay discretionary spend • Extend your payables • Expedite your receivables • Explore supply chain financing options 3. Use available government supports for working capital • The Credit Guarantee Scheme supports loans up to €1 million for periods of up to 7 years. Applications can be made to AIB, Bank of Ireland and Ulster Bank. Eligibility criteria apply. • Microenterprises can access COV- ID-19 loans of up to €50,000 from © April 2020 The Meath Coaster 37 MicroFinance Ireland. Loans are avail- able at an interest rate of between 6.8% and 7.8% (6.8% via LEO, and with full moratorium and no interest applied for the first 6 months). Businesses can ap- ply through the Local Enterprise Office or directly at microfinanceireland.ie. Eligibility criteria apply. • Microfinance Ireland COVID-19 Business Loan FAQs • The €200m SBCI COVID-19 Working Capital Scheme for eligible businesses will be available within the next week. Maximum loan size will be €1.5 mil- lion (first €500,000 unsecured) and the maximum interest rate will be 4%. Applications can be made through the SBCI website at sbci.gov.ie. Eligibility criteria apply. • SBCI COVID-19 Working Capital Scheme FAQs • A €200m Package for Enterprise Sup- ports including a Rescue and Restruc- turing Scheme is available through Enterprise Ireland for vulnerable but viable firms that need to restructure or transform their business. 4. Get advice Get advice from your accountant or a LEO appointed mentor. 5. Check your insurance cover Check if your insurance policy covers you for an interruption in your business, or a temporary business closure, caused by COVID-19. 6. Engage with Revenue If you have concerns about your ability to pay your tax liabilities speak to the Rev- enue Commissioners, who have advised: "On an on-going basis, Revenue engages with viable businesses experiencing tem- porary cash flow or trading difficulties that affect the timely payment of tax. Revenue works very successfully with businesses that engage early to resolve their tax pay- ment difficulties. Revenue will engage with any viable business thatexperiences temporary cashflow difficulties, including difficulties arising from exceptional cir- cumstances such as the COVID-19 (Coro- navirus) outbreak.” See www.revenue.ie. Revenue has also posted advice for busi- nesses experiencing trading difficulties as a result of COVID-19. This includes in- formation on tax returns, the application of late payment interest, debt enforce- ment, tax clearance and customs. 7. Be aware of government supports For example: • Employees of businesses that need to reduce hours or days worked can avail of the Department of Employment Af- fairs and Social Protection Short-time Work Support. • Government is asking those employers who have ceased trading if at all pos- sible, to continue to pay workers during this period – at least at the jobseeker rate of €203 per week. The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Pro- tection is setting up a refund scheme for employers to pay staff the €203 per week for each worker. This means that workers retain their link with employ- ers and there is no need for them to sub- mit a Jobseekers claim. • For those workers who have been laid off without pay, there is no need to visit an Intreo Centre. The DEASP has intro- duced a new support payment for the © April 2020 The Meath Coaster 38 self-employed who have lost business and to those who have lost employment as a result of COVID-19 pandemic, the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment. This support pays a flat rate of €203 per week for a six-week period. • The full range of Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, Local Enterprise Office and Údarás na Gaeltachta grant sup- ports will be available to firms to help with strategies to innovate, diversify markets and supply chains and to im- prove competitiveness. • A Finance in Focus grant of €7,200 will be available to Enterprise Ireland and Údarás na Gaeltachta clients that want to access consultancy support to under- take immediate finance reviews. • Enterprise Ireland has published a COVID-19 Business Response Plan. Large Ground Floor Office Space For Rent Floor Space: 5 metres x 8 metres approx. Location: City North Business Campus, Stamullen, Co. Meath 01-9680344 Monthly rent of €850 includes electricity & gas. Good natural lighting. It has a fully alarmed access. Located just off the M1 motorway, beside the City North Hotel. Free car parking. Viewing highly recommended. Please Contact: 01 9680344 or 086-0412396 (Fiona Burke) for more information Business Continuity Planning: COV- ID-19 Checklist The Department of Business, Enterprise & Innovation has updated its checklist on Business Continuity Planning which pro- vides a checklist of preparatory actions for businesses in responding to COVID-19. Related links www.localenterprise.ie/response www.housing.gov.ie/local-government/ covid-19-coronavirus/support-business- es-impacted-covid-19-through-commer- cial-rates www.localenterprise.ie/Discover-Busi- ness-Supports/Covid-19/COVID19_Job- seekers-Emergency-Payments_Guide.pdf www.revenue.ie/en/corporate/ press-office/press-releases/2020/pr- 130320-revenue-announce-measures-to- assist-smes-experiencing-cashflow-diffi- culties-arising-from-covid-19.aspx086/1733396 086/1733397 Mullenandsons1@gmail.com www.Mullenandsons.ie Alan Mullen & Sons Builders Ltd Fifth Generation Irish Builders For All Your Building Needs Emergency Work Only Fully Insured and Registered 085 2057786 e: preidcrashrepairs@gmail.com Mill Road, Mornington Panel be ating Spray painting Emergency Work Only All work guaranteed Lessons Based In Drogheda Grammar School, Mornington Road, Drogheda. Toccata House Music School, Drogheda. Junior and Leaving Certificate Music and Musicianship Associated Board and Riam Theory. 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