Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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160. To ask the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment the number of Exchequer-funded projects over €1 billion overseen by his Department; the expected rise in cost in both numerical amount and percentage terms in tabular form, and delays as result of Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24308/20]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I would advise the Deputy that the exchequer funding provided through the DBEI Vote is mainly to support the activities and programmes of the Department, its Enterprise and Innovation Agencies and its Regulatory Bodies and would not normally involve expenditure of over €1 billion.

The Deputy will be aware of the recently launched €2 billion COVID-19 Credit Guarantee Scheme. Whilst the 80% guarantee for loans issued by participating lenders under the Scheme creates a maximum potential liability of €1.6 billion for the State, the actual quantum of exchequer funding required to support the guarantee will depend on a number of factors, including the level of losses experienced in operating the Scheme.