The Government has said it will provide further details of its €300m Brexit loan scheme for SMEs in the coming weeks amid mounting uncertainty among industry groups.

Small firms lobby group Isme has welcomed new figures showing increases in SME lending levels, but said banks are still taking too long to decide whether or not to approve loan applications.

Fifty thousand jobs will be created this year, consumers are spending again, and growth will be stronger than expected, according to an upbeat analysis of the economy by Ibec.

More people are leaving Ireland than arrive for the first time since 1995 as unemployment passed the quarter of a million mark, it was revealed today.