Derek Nolan (Galway West, Labour)
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10. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will outline the draw-down of funds from the credit guarantee scheme and micro-enterprise fund, particularly by businesses on the western seaboard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8248/14]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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As of 31 December 2013, the SME Credit Guarantee Scheme had seventy-two live facilities resulting in over €9.7m being sanctioned through the Scheme by the participating lenders resulting in 409 new jobs being created and 236 jobs being maintained. Data is collated on a regional basis, and the following are the year-end totals for relevant regions. The South West region (Cork and Kerry) had 13 live facilities with over €1.428 million in sanctioned lending, the West region (Galway and Mayo) had 8 live facilities with €586,100 in sanctioned lending, the Mid-West region (Limerick, Clare and North Tipperary) had 7 live facilities with €400,000 in sanctioned lending, and the North West (Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim) has 1 live facility with €100,000 in sanctioned lending.

With regard to Microfinance Ireland (MFI) as of 31 December 2013 MFI has approved 139 applications to the value of €2.16m and has supported 313 jobs. Data is collected at county level and the following is the number of loans approved per county on the western seaboard to year-end: Cork – 10, Kerry – 7, Galway – 7, Mayo – 8, Sligo – 7, Clare – 3 and Donegal – 3. The average loan size throughout Ireland is €15,500.

My Department publishes quarterly reports on the progress of the SME Credit Guarantee Scheme and Microfinance Ireland on the Department’s website . The 4th quarter progress report for MFI showing detailed breakdown of lending in each county and other analyses for year ending 31 December 2013 is available on my Department’s website. The 4th quarter CGS progress report for the period to December 2013 will be published shortly. My Department is pursuing a strategy to promote these schemes more widely with SMEs, with the Banks at the point of credit refusal through the LEO network and using varying media and promotional activities.