A recentPwC reportfound that there has been a slight rise in companies availing of the Small Company Administrative Rescue Process (“SCARP”).

SCARP made up 6% of corporate insolvencies in Q2 2024, up from 3% in the previous quarter.

However, overall, the numbers availing of this insolvency option remain low, which is notable given that insolvencies generally are increasing.

Insolvency Trends

Many Irish businesses face the challenge of meeting warehoused debt. One option available is to address the debt via the Small Company Administrative Rescue Process (“SCARP”).

Government Schemes

During the Covid-19 pandemic, a lot of Irish companies took advantage of Government schemes, to include the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (“EWSS”), the Covid Restrictions Support Scheme (“CRSS”) and Debt Warehousing. PAYE, PRSI, USC, EWSS and CRSS overpayments were all warehoused.

What is Debt Warehousing?

I spoke on This Week on RTE Radio 1 about the same topic in the Summer of 2021. I took the view then that the pandemic-induced “zombie economy” would likely result in mass business failures when it finally ended. I did not know at the time that Government subsidies, including the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) would continue for another twelve months and have only just come to an end.