Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I suppose the Minister will find it worrying that we only have six applications from both counties at this stage. I appreciate that she is trying to take action that will identify where concerns exist and where measures need to be taken, and that she is putting measures in place to galvanise the businesses and enterprises in Cavan-Monaghan and protect them against a hard Brexit, which it certainly looks like we are facing. The €300 million Brexit loan scheme for SMEs was announced to much fanfare in the 2018 budget. Can the Minister inform the House how many businesses have applied for the SBCI to confirm their eligibility for the scheme? The Minister referred to it in her opening remarks. How many businesses received an eligibility reference number? How many submitted a business plan for the application process and how many loans have been approved nationally, particularly from the Border counties of Cavan and Monaghan?

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