Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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143. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of Be Prepared grants granted to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39870/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Brexit presents the most significant economic challenge of the past 50 years and long-term, structural and disruptive change will emerge.  Following the UK’s vote to leave the EU, the need to accelerate and implement competitiveness, innovation and market diversification strategies at a national and company level cannot be underestimated. This is at the crux of Enterprise Ireland’s 2017-2020 Build Scale and Expand Reach strategy and its new Eurozone Strategy to assist Irish exporters increase exports in eurozone countries by 50% by 2020.

 The devaluation and volatility of sterling, and the uncertainty that has unfolded in the business environment since the UK vote to leave the EU cannot be underestimated. At the same time, Enterprise Ireland clients are challenged to prepare to operate in a yet unknown trading environment post Brexit – they must prepare for a hard Brexit.  Enterprise Ireland’s clients are actively utilising the agency’s financial and non-financial supports to meet the innovation, competitiveness and market diversification challenges of Brexit as part of their strategic growth plans.

 In March 2017, Enterprise Ireland launched a ‘Brexit SME Scorecard’, a new interactive online platform which can be used by all Irish companies to self-assess their exposure to Brexit under six business pillars. Based on answers supplied by the user, the scorecard generates an immediate report which contains suggested actions and resources, and information on events for companies to attend, to prepare for Brexit. To date approximately 1,500 companies have utilised the Brexit SME Scorecard.

 Enterprise Ireland’s Be Prepared grant provides client companies with the cost of preparing a plan to mitigate risks and optimise opportunities arising from Brexit. This grant support, of up to €5,000, can be used to help cover consultancy, travel and out of pocket expenses associated with researching the direction of their Brexit action plan. To date in excess of 40 companies have received approval for support under this initiative and a strong pipeline of companies have applications undergoing review for approval.

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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144. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if she will report on the development of a Brexit working capital guarantee scheme. [39871/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Government is conscious of the need to consider the types of supports that Irish businesses may require to address challenges arising as a result of the Brexit Referendum, which is likely to represent a structural shift in the UK trading relations. 

My Department has been working with the Department of Finance, EI, SBCI and Department of Agriculture to develop potential supports to respond to the needs of businesses impacted by Brexit.

In particular, work is progressing on the development of a proposed Brexit-related Working Capital Guarantee Scheme and also on scoping out the need for a longer term Business Development Loan Scheme which would assist firms in investing for a post-Brexit environment.

The Working Capital scheme would benefit those SMEs that are particularly affected by issues related to Brexit. Such SME’s may need extra liquidity to cope with working capital challenges brought about by Brexit. The scheme would be offered by the SBCI through on-lenders.

Development of these proposed responses is subject to resources being agreed as part of the annual budgetary process.