Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation has already published a microfinancing plan. I agree that the issue of finance available to small companies and start-up firms in particular should be addressed by the Government. A plan relating to microfinancing has already been published.

With regard to the European microfinancing funding, the Government is doing whatever is possible to maximise our draw-down. The Deputy might advise his party colleagues that if they keep rattling on about defaulting on payments, it will be increasingly difficult to attract that kind of funding.

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