Ms Deirdre Parkinson:

As Deputy Seán Canney said, it is a very confusing landscape for small business owners. There are multiple agencies, which leaves people unsure of where to go. The LEOs, as one-stop-shops for businesses in their local areas, do the job of signposting. Microfinance Ireland is a core component of their offering when dealing with small business owners. I take the point that there is some work to be done, but there is a lot more to be done in getting the message out. Two years ago the supporting SMEs online tool was introduced. It lists the 170 State supports available and the bodies that support small business owners. People are encouraged to register their requirements online to access the relevant support. When Microfinance Ireland was set up in 2012, it was envisaged that all referrals would be through bank declines and the LEOs, but we learned quickly that we needed to have a much stronger brand presence. We are working hard on it and have seen it grow in the last couple of years. I take the point that there some work has been done, but there is a lot more to be done.