Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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173. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the €300 million Brexit loan scheme fund announced in budget 2018 will open for applications; the length of time the fund will remain open for applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3876/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Earlier this week I welcomed the signing of the counter guarantee agreement with the European Investment Fund that will facilitate the launch of the “Brexit Loan Scheme”. The Scheme will provide affordable, flexible financing to Irish businesses currently impacted by Brexit, or those who will be in the future, and will make up to €300 million of working capital finance available. Given their unique exposure to the UK market, funding from my Department (DAFM) ensures that at least 40% of the fund will be available to food businesses; DAFM is providing €9 million out of the total €23 million in public funding. The working capital finance will be easier to access, more competitively priced and at more favourable terms than current offerings. This will give Brexit-impacted businesses time and space to adapt and to grow into the future.

The Scheme will remain open for up to two years or until it has been fully drawn down and will be delivered by the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI). They expect to announce their commercial lending partners shortly following an "Open Call" at the end of last year. Following the completion of administrative arrangements between SBCI and the commercial lending partners, I will be in a position to launch the new Scheme with my colleague the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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174. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the €25 million allocated in budget 2018 for the development of further Brexit response loan schemes for farmers, fishermen and food businesses in 2018 will open for applications; the length of time the fund will remain open for applications; the minimum and maximum amounts permitted to be loaned; the collateral requirements; if funds will be loaned to farmers for the purchase of livestock; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3877/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The successful “Agriculture Cashflow Loan Scheme” has provided a template for publicly-assisted loan schemes. This includes the “Brexit Loan Scheme”, which I expect to launch shortly with my colleague the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation.

I also announced in Budget 2018 that I had secured funding of €25 million for my Department to facilitate the development of potential Brexit response loan schemes for farmers, fishermen and for longer-term capital financing for food businesses. These are currently under active consideration and I will announce more details as they become available.