The National Treasury Management Agency has appointed EY to carry out an external review of the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland.

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys, has said the Brexit loan scheme launched last March is working, and people are applying for the funding.

The next low-cost farmer loan scheme will be focused on long-term capital investment and finance, unlike the previous cash flow scheme.

Business growth is rolling on and the exchequer is benefiting in no small way.

Banker Nick Ashmore has praised the agriculture community for being “incredibly financially savvy and interest rate sensitive”.

An economic think-tank has urged the Government to ditch its ‘Rebuilding Ireland’ plan in favour of a new housing model centred on a commercial semi-state utility system.

Irish SMEs are continuing to pay over the odds to access funding, despite minor decreases in the cost of credit over the past year.

Irish firms drew down €172m in lower cost loans from the government’s SME financing fund in its first 10 months in operation.

The car parks were full when I arrived at Gurteen College last Thursday for Grass and Muck 2016.

A significant new credit line for Irish farmers was welcomed last week by EU commissioner for agriculture, Phil Hogan, who said the traditional lending institutions such as banks have done a poor job of understanding the nature of the sector.

A plea for all sectors of the economy to unite in supporting farming through “a perfect storm” has been made by the managing director of a leading agri-business.

Almost half of loan applications from small and medium-sized business were rejected in the past three months, according to new figures.

AIB has seen an 18% year-on-year increase in loan applications from SMEs during the first half of 2015.

More than 1,600 small- and medium-sized businesses have drawn down a combined €45m from the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland in its first four months in operation.

More than 1,300 owners of small businesses have been allocated a combined €60m in funding from the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland approved by AIB since its launch in March.

Small and medium enterprises will next month have access to €400m worth of funding after the launch yesterday of the long-awaited Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI).

THERE was more good news on the jobs front yesterday in a loan package worth €400m for Ireland’s small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

The Finance Minister Michael Noonan says the launch of a new €400m fund to provide low-cost credit to small businesses is a "red letter day" for the economy.

The Government dropped the term ‘bank’ from its Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) after concerns were expressed by Central Bank governor, Patrick Honohan.

Banks are turning away fewer small and medium-sized businesses in search of credit than earlier in the year, according to a new report.

Two-thirds of businesses expect to take on new employees next year as the upturn in the economy takes hold and begins to positively impact enterprise here.

Small and medium businesses can begin accessing a €800m loan scheme from next month, after a multi-funded strategic bank was launched by the Government.

Business could benefit from a new strategic bank but there are a lot of other factors in play here, writes Kyran Fitzgerald.

Ireland is setting up a new state bank to pump hundreds of millions of euro into struggling small businesses.