Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach may recall that there was a commitment in the programme for Government in 2020 to provide additional supports for SMEs and also to scale up Microfinance Ireland so it could support greater numbers of small businesses and start-ups in accessing finance.

We all know that energy costs are killing some businesses. Small enterprises in hospitality and small retail businesses are facing particular problems and challenges at present. I spoke to one business owner at the weekend and that businessperson told me that the business is going very well, with good turnover, but costs are a problem. Some are Government-related costs, and there is a particular issue with energy costs. Alongside that, in my region, Ulster Bank always had a good presence. Since its exit from the Irish market, businesses and individuals have had to change banks. They are not getting the same credit facilities they had with Ulster Bank. That is another problem facing small enterprises, particularly in the Border region.

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