As British prime minister Theresa May prepares to trigger Article 50, which marks the formal start of the Brexit talks process, the subject of funding for small businesses here will be even higher on the agenda.

Enda Kenny made big claims five years ago. Yet businesses, and particularly SMEs, are facing the same old problems, writes Peter O’Dwyer

Small improvements can add up to big savings, Teagasc is advising in its ongoing dairy farm walks’ series.

Microfinance Ireland, the State-backed SME lending vehicle, has announced a 1% cut in the interest rates it charges borrowers.

The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise, and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, is hoping to secure a further €10m of exchequer funding to keep Microfinance Ireland afloat beyond 2017.

WHETHER the aim is to earn a side income from home or open up a whole new business career, many of us are drawn to the idea of starting our own business, writes Grainne McGuinness

Good afternoon. Here’s all the news you need to know this lunchtime.

Changes to the Government’s microfinance support fund were yesterday welcomed, with the improvements tipped to open the scheme up to more businesses and improve awareness among SMEs.

Richard Bruton, the minister for jobs, has announced a major campaign to reduce chronic low awareness levels amongst SMEs of the various government assistance programmes on offer.

New findings show that trading conditions are continuing to improve amongst SMEs, but that demand for credit remains low.

Welcome to your Friday morning briefing. Let us ensure you’re up to speed on what’s happening and are prepared for the day ahead.

The Small Firms Association has warned that a new initiative between Local Enterprise Offices and Microfinance Ireland aimed at providing credit to businesses is severely limited by a requirement that has "neutered" the finance fund to date.

A new Government scheme to help small businesses gain access to finance will be launched later today.

A greater diversity of funding sources is required for credit-starved small and medium enterprises, according to a new report.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny will make a significant jobs announcement in Cork this morning as recruitment firm Oxford International unveils a major expansion.

The number of micro-enterprises supported by the Government-backed emergency credit facility Microfinance Ireland has increased by just 46 in the past three months.

While Ireland’s economy is showing modest signs of recovery, the growth outlook remains challenging and the Government will need to retain a tight fiscal policy all the way out to 2020, one leading economist has warned.

The operation of the Government’s microfinance fund is piecemeal and is failing those areas with the highest levels of need, according to Sinn Féin’s Peadar Tóibín.

Small businesses finding it difficult to get loans are being offered a new lifeline by the Department of Enterprise, Jobs and Innovation.

The Government says itsincoming micro-enterprise loan fund scheme — aimed at improving lending facilities to start-up firms — will boost available credit by over €90m and create nearly 8,000 jobs over the coming 10 years.