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Brexit-Financial Supports for Businesses

There are many government supports and resources available to help businesses through Brexit. Financial assistance is available through the Credit Guarantee Scheme, Brexit Loan Scheme and Microfinance Ireland loans.

 

The Department of Enterprise and Enterprise Ireland also have a significant body of resources available on their websites and Local Enterprise Offices will help too, including with mentoring. Intertrade Ireland also has a range of planning and implementation vouchers available.

 

The supports include:

 

  • Enterprise Ireland's Be Prepared Grant

For businesses that need external support in planning for Brexit, Enterprise Ireland offers up to €5,000 to assist client companies develop a plan through its Be Prepared Grant.

 

  • Enterprise Ireland's Ready for Customs Grant

The new Ready for Customs grant provides up to €9,000 per eligible employee hired or redeployed within a business to a dedicated customs role. The grant, available through Enterprise Ireland, will help businesses increase their capacity to manage the customs process after 1 January 2021.

 

  • Enterprise Ireland's Market Discovery Fund

Enterprise Ireland supports businesses who wish to innovate, change or adapt in a number of areas, for example, to research viable and sustainable new market entry strategies through its EI Market Discovery Fund. Other funding opportunities from Enterprise Ireland include the Agile Innovation Fund and the Operational Excellence Offer.

 

  • InterTradeIreland's Brexit Planning Voucher

InterTradeIreland provides a Brexit Planning Voucher to enable SMEs to get professional advice on Brexit, including likely tariffs, currency management, regulatory and customs issues and movement of labour, goods and services. 

 

  • Brexit Loan Scheme

The Brexit Loan Scheme makes lending available to eligible businesses with up to 499 employees that are exposed to current or potential Brexit impacts. Loan amounts range from €25,000 up to €1.5 million, for terms of up to three years and a maximum interest rate of 4%. Loans up to €500,000 available unsecured.

 

  • Future Growth Loan Scheme

The Future Growth Loan Scheme has been expanded and now makes a total fund of up to €800 million available s for terms of 7-10 years. The scheme is open to eligible Irish businesses, including those in the primary agriculture and seafood sectors, to support strategic, long-term investment, for future sustainability and growth. Loan amounts range from €25,000 to €3 million. Loans of up to €500,000 available unsecured.

 

  • Technical Assistance for Micro-Exporters (TAME)

The Local Enterprise Offices offer Technical Assistance for Micro-Exporters (TAME). This provides financial assistance to support market diversification in qualifying businesses to develop new and export market opportunities.

 

  • Trading Online Voucher Scheme

The Local Enterprise Offices administer the Trading Online Voucher Scheme, which helps small businesses to trade more online, to increase sales and to reach new markets. This scheme provides match-funding of up to €2,500, with training and further supports provided by the LEOs.

 

  • Local Enterprise Offices Grants

For existing companies and potential start-ups that meet eligibility criteria (such as employing 10 or fewer people with the potential for growth and job creation), Local Enterprise Offices can offer Priming, Business Expansion, and Feasibility Study grants to help manage Brexit responses.

 

  • Microfinance Loans

Microenterprises can access loans of up to €25,000 from Microfinance Ireland through Local Enterprise Offices or directly through Microfinance Ireland.

 

  • Skills and Training

In addition to advice and guidance, there is a range of supports available for training and upskilling staff within your business: Supports to get your business Brexit Ready: Upskilling

 

The new €20 million Customs Clearing Capacity Building Scheme 'Ready for Customs', administered by Enterprise Ireland, will help SMEs involved in exporting and importing with the UK and further afield to put in place the staff, software and IT systems to be ready for new customs arrangements from 1 January 2021. 

 

For more detail on key customs concepts, documentation and processes you can access a 40-minute online customs insights course developed by Enterprise Ireland.

 

The Local Enterprise Offices customs workshops provide businesses with a better understanding of the potential impacts, formalities and procedures when trading with the UK post transition period.

 

The Skillnet Ireland Clear Customs training offers free virtual training to Customs intermediaries and to businesses who frequently trade with or through the UK.

 

See the Prepare for Brexit website for more information on Brexit Business Supports