Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 27 May 2014

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

Access to Finance for SMEs: Discussion (Resumed)

1:55 pm

Mr. John Flynn:

Absolutely. They are at a very early stage. It would be unfair to say the banks have not participated. The pillar banks in Ireland have participated in funding the equity funds and have relationships with the venture capital managers in the market. As the companies grow and develop, opportunities open up for invoice discounting and working capital before they move into mainstream debt products. There are some moves afoot, with the backing of the European Investment Bank and certain pillar banks in Ireland, to be able to provide an underwritten product for those types of markets. The situation is improving but it is largely focused on equity products and the venture product is the most appropriate one for companies at this stage.

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