Representing 99% of all businesses and more than two thirds of the workforce, Ireland's 304,000 SMEs are responsible for driving innovation as well as spurring on growth, and their daily routine is what ensures the competitiveness of the Irish economy. But to do that, they often need finance.

At the EIF, our mission is to improve access to finance for small businesses across the EU. In Ireland, we have been supporting SMEs using a broad range of instruments, including many tailored to the needs of the Irish market and designed with the Irish government and local authoritie04