24 Márta 2014, 11:03
Access to finance for small and medium sized enterprises will be on the agenda of the Joint Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation tomorrow, Tuesday, 25th March 2014 when it meets with representatives from InterTradeIreland.
24 March 2014
The Committee will be focusing on InterTradeIreland’s recent report Access to Finance for Growth for SMEs.
Committee Chairman Damien English TD said: “The small and medium sized enterprise sectors are integral and important elements of both economies and if we are serious about our indigenous businesses we need to encourage and help create the best environment for them to operate in. The availability of funding and supports are essential for many small businesses to get up and running, flourish, innovate and expand. InterTradeIreland, the organisation with responsibility for boosting North/South economic co-operation, recently published a report which provides a unique and reliable indication of the supply of finance for SMEs across the island and the level of their demand for finance for growth purposes. Tomorrow, as part of our ongoing examination of the issue of access to finance for SMEs, we will discuss the report in detail with representatives from InterTradeIreland. Among the issues we would be keen to explore are: measures to improve the quality and relevance of financial information given to SMEs; the other sources of funding which are available to overcome an over-reliance on bank debt; and initiatives to improve the investor readiness of SMEs.”
The Committee will also consider for a second time, COM(2013)813, an EU proposal for a Directive for the Protection of Trade Secrets, which are value commercial assets for Irish businesses, including SMEs.
This meeting will start at 1.30pm on 25th March 2014 in Committee Room 2.
Committee proceedings can be followed live here.
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Committee Membership
Deputies: Dara Calleary (FF), Áine Collins (FG), Michael Conaghan (LAB) Damien English (FG) (Chairman), Mick Wallace (IND), Seán Kyne (FG), Anthony Lawlor (FG), John Lyons (LAB) (Vice-Chairman), Peadar Tóibín (SF).
Senators: Deirdre Clune (FG), David Cullinane (SF), John Kelly (LAB), Michael Mullins (FG), Feargal Quinn (Ind), Mary White (FF)