Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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272. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of applicants and participants in all Brexit schemes and supports provided by her Department or agencies under her remit; and the amount allocated to and expended under each such scheme in each year since being established, in tabular form. [3802/19]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department and its agencies are working to provide extensive supports, schemes and advice to ensure that businesses are prepared for Brexit. These measures aim to assist businesses in identifying key risk areas and the practical preparatory actions to be taken over the coming weeks.

Additional resources have also been distributed across Science Foundation Ireland and the Health and Safety Authority and the NSAI for 2019 to support enterprises adjust to the new relationships with the UK and pursue new opportunities.

In addition to the direct supports outlined in the following table, my Department and I have been very active in the 'Getting Ireland Brexit Ready' public information campaign. This campaign includes workshop events throughout the country aimed primarily at business and people most impacted by Brexit. Officials from my Department and agencies also participated in the Getting Ireland Brexit Ready events, which included Enterprise Ireland, IDA, the LEOs, NSAI and the HSA.

Further to the table, increased funding has been allocated to Brexit-related support from my Department and its agencies as part of Budget 2019. An additional €5 million capital funding has been allocated to the Local Enterprise Offices, an increase of 22%, and a further €1 million allocated to InterTrade Ireland to help SMEs prepare for the particular North-South challenges associated with Brexit. Additional resources have also been distributed across Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland and the Health and Safety Authority.

The €300 million Brexit Loan Scheme provides relatively short term working capital, 1 and 3 years, to eligible businesses with up to 499 employees to help them innovate, change or adapt to mitigate their Brexit challenges.

The scheme was launched in March 2018 and, as at close of business on 18th January, there have been 376 eligibility applications received of which 337 eligibility applications have been approved and 65 loans progressed to sanction at Bank level to a value of €14.9m.

The Future Growth Loan Scheme was announced in Budget 2019. This scheme is jointly funded by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Loans of €50,000 to €3m will be available, with loans of under €500,000 being provided on an unsecured basis. The scheme will be available to eligible Irish businesses, including those in the primary agriculture and seafood sectors, to support strategic, long-term investment in a post-Brexit environment. The SBCI has issued an “Open Call” for financial institutions to apply by 11 February 2019 for designation as a lending partner under the Scheme. It is expected that this Scheme will be operational in early 2019.

While many businesses have taken preparedness actions, a number have yet to do so. It is vital that businesses prepare themselves for Brexit impacts and take actions to mitigate. Firms that do business with the UK, whether buying goods or exporting products, should examine their supply chains to determine their vulnerabilities and take appropriate action.

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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273. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of firms that have applied for working capital under the Brexit loan scheme; the number that have been sanctioned financing to date by firm size (details supplied); and the value of same in tabular form. [3803/19]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department and its agencies are working to provide extensive supports, schemes and advice to ensure that businesses are prepared for Brexit. These measures aim to assist businesses in identifying key risk areas and to facilitate the practical actions to be taken in response to the UK's exit from the EU.

The Brexit Loan Scheme provides affordable working capital to eligible businesses with up to 499 employees that are or will be impacted by Brexit and meet the scheme criteria. The €23 million exchequer funding (€14 million from my Department and €9 million from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine) has been leveraged to provide a fund of up to €300 million.

It has been designed to assist eligible Irish businesses in the short-term to deal with the challenges of Brexit, which include the pressures of increased market instability and currency volatility. The scheme is open to both State Agency clients and businesses that do not have any relationship with State Agencies. Sole traders may also apply.

The scheme was launched in March 2018 and, at close of business on 18th January, there have been 376 eligibility applications received of which 337 eligibility applications have been approved and 65 loans progressed to sanction at bank level to a value of €14.9m.

The number of eligibility applications received by SBCI at 18th January by company size is shown in the following table.

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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274. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation when the €300 million Brexit loan scheme fund announced in budget 2019 for SME businesses will be open for applications; the length of time the fund will remain open for applications; the criteria for applying; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3804/19]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department and its agencies are providing extensive supports, schemes and advice to ensure that businesses are prepared for Brexit. These measures aim to assist businesses in identifying key risk areas and the practical preparatory actions to be taken over the coming weeks.

The Future Growth Loan Scheme was announced in Budget 2019. The scheme will provide a longer-term facility, 8 to 10 years, of up to €300m to support strategic capital investment for a post-Brexit environment by business at competitive rates. This is jointly funded by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

Loans of €50,000 to €3m will be available, with loans of under €500,000 being provided on an unsecured basis. The scheme will be open to Irish SMEs, including those in the primary agriculture and seafood sectors, to support strategic, long-term investment in a post-Brexit environment. Eligible businesses must have an establishment or branch in Ireland.

The scheme will feature a two-stage application process. Applications for eligibility under the scheme will be made through the SBCI website. Successful applicants will be issued a reference number required to apply for a loan under the scheme with one of the participating finance providers.

The SBCI has issued an “Open Call” for financial institutions to apply by 11 February 2019 for designation as a lending partner under the Scheme. The scheme is expected to run for three years from its launch date. The SBCI have told me that they hope to be in a position to launch the Scheme before the end of the first quarter, and I encourage businesses to begin their preparations to support an application for the scheme now.