Commenting on today’s (22 January 2018) announcement of a formal agreement on the leveraging of a total of €300m for the Brexit Loan Scheme for Irish businesses,
County Kildare Chamber Chief Executive Allan Shine said,
“We welcome today’s formal agreement, which aligns with our consistent recommendations for state-guaranteed supports for Irish businesses to diversify into new markets. Indeed, this was one of our central recommendations in our Pre-Budget Submission 2018 last year, which called for an Export Working Capital Scheme to help SMEs meet the challenges arising from Brexit.
“The Loan Scheme is a clear commitment and a positive step by Government to help Irish businesses prepare for the unique issues facing them in light of Brexit. We also urge businesses to engage with these opportunities. Our members have highlighted Brexit challenges as the main concern facing their businesses in 2018. This new scheme will support new investment for our members and in particular our members within the food sector. Shine concluded by saying, “ Businesses will need to diversity, consolidate and look to new emerging markets this year and this fund will assist businesses in order to do so”.