It was costed at €1.25 billion when it was announced in Budget 2023, has been extended on a number of occasions and the criteria for applications widened due to poor take-up.
In its pre-budget statement, the State’s independent budgetary watchdog said the Coalition should assess whether the scheme is still required from a macroeconomic perspective. To make a claim via the portal, businesses will need all electricity and natural gas bills for both the relevant reference periods and the claim periods concerned.