Business awards deadline is extended
THE deadline for this year’s Wexford Business Awards has been extended until today (Tuesday), April 17.
This year marks the 10th annual Wexford Chamber Business Awards which will see top businesses across Wexford being recognised for their efforts and achievements.
Over the years, the awards night and the awards themselves have become highly successful and prestigious and their progress will be followed every step of the way by the Wexford People
The awards, which are sponsored by Wexford County Council, will be held on Friday, May 25, and hosted by comedian, author and broadcaster, Colm O’Regan.
Around 500 local business leaders will be present at the awards, where local companies will be rewarded for their successes. A lot of awards are up for grabs from Start-up Business of the Year right up to the Overall Business of the Year Award and the Chamber President’s Award, a lifetime achievement award given by Wexford Chamber.
The awards, which are free to enter, are open to businesses across County Wexford including both members and non-members of Wexford Chamber. The awards have a number of new categories this year including Family Business of the Year Award and Franchise of the Year Award.
The shortlisted companies, win or lose, will also have an opportunity to secure strong media profiling, as each shortlisting finalist is featured in the Wexford People.
Chamber President Niall Reck predicted the growing confidence in business in the region will be reflected at the awards ceremony. ‘We expect great interest once again and especially for this our 10th Anniversary. The success of our Business Awards has been because of the support we have received, and continue to receive, from businesses across County Wexford.
‘ The level of entrepreneurship, innovation, courage and drive demonstrated by SMEs is something that we recognise in our Business Awards and it is a pleasure to have the opportunity to say thank you and to celebrate success.’
Entrants will be judged by an independent judging panel comprising of senior management teams of the category sponsors along with other sector specialists judges.
Enda Kavanagh, Chief Executive of Wexford Chamber of Commerce said: ‘We are excited to be working closely with Wexford County Council and all of our sponsors in order to make these awards bigger and better than ever.’
To enter contact 053 91 22226 or online at www.wexfordbusinessawards.ie.
Back to Work Family Dividend
I am getting Jobseeker’s Allowance and have just been offered a job. My husband looks after our two children at home. Can I get any social welfare assistance if I stop signing on and go back to work?
There is a scheme for people with children who stop claiming a jobseeker’s payment, or a one-parent family payment, because they are in – or are taking up – work or self-employment. The scheme is called the Back to Work Family Dividend (BTWFD).
The BTWFD is a weekly payment for up to two years after you start work. For the first year in employment, you are paid the equivalent of any Increase for a Qualified Child that you were getting on your jobseeker’s payment or one-parent family payment (up to a maximum of four children). You get half of that amount weekly for the second year.
To qualify, you must have at least one qualified child and have been getting one of the following payments: Jobseeker’s Allowance or Jobseeker’s Benefit (for at least 12 months), One-Parent Family Payment, or Jobseeker’s Transitional payment. You and all members of your family (including your adult dependant) must sign off all primary social welfare payments.
The BTWFD can be paid with other social welfare payments including Working Family Payment (formerly called Family Income Supplement), Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance, Child Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and Rent Supplement.
You can get BTWFD for up to two years if you stay in employment. If you or your husband claim a primary social welfare payment within two years of you starting work, the BTWFD payment will stop. If you lose your job and claim a social welfare payment, the BTWFD stops. However, it may restart if you get a new job. You can get a maximum of two restarts per claim.
Further information is available from the Citizens Information Centre below.
Renewing a passport
I have a valid passport, but it will expire two weeks before I go on holiday. Will two weeks give me enough time to get a new one?
You don’t have to wait until your passport expires to renew it. However, if you apply for a new passport before your current one expires, your new passport is valid from when you apply, rather than from when your previous passport expires.
The website of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, dfa.ie, lists the current average processing times for different types of passport applications. The quickest way to renew your passport is by using the online application service. You can use this service to renew your passport if it expires any time in the next 12 months.
You must submit a digital photo with your online application. You can get a friend to take your photo with a digital camera or smartphone or you can go to a photo provider, for example a pharmacy or a photographer, who will give you a copy of your digital photo to upload. Alternatively, you can go to one of the Irish photo booth services listed on passportphoto.ie, which will take your photo and provide you with a code. If you enter this code when applying for your passport online, you don’t need to upload the photo yourself.
Online renewal isn’t available for children’s passports, so if you want to renew your family’s passports together, you have to use Passport Express, the postal application service. There is an extra charge of €9.50 per application for using Passport Express. However, if you are renewing passports for the whole family you can use the ‘Family Application’ option for €16, where up to four passport applications can be sent in one envelope. Alternatively, you can renew your own passport online and use Passport Express to renew any passports for children.
Further information is available from the Citizens Information Centre below.