Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The number of applications for and uptake of grants indicates considerable angst, and banks are simply not lending. I appreciate that the SBCI offers a Brexit loan scheme in partnership with the Departments of Business, Enterprise and Innovation and Agriculture, Food and the Marine. However, the conditions do not make it readily accessible to many farmers. To apply for a loan a business must have fewer than 250 employees and a turnover of €50 million or less, which is too restrictive as can be seen from the figures set out by the Minister on applications to the end of 2017. It is too restrictive for ordinary farmers who are helping with the recovery in the economy and there are major concerns over Brexit.

Teagasc figures for 2016 indicate that the agrifood sector generated 7% of gross value added - €13.9 billion - and 9.8% of Ireland's merchandise exports, and provided 8.5% of national employment. There is considerable concern in the sector.

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