Business Finance Supports in Ireland: SBCI, Enterprise Ireland and Government Schemes

If you run or advise an Irish business, two State-linked names come up quickly when the subject is finance: the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) and Enterprise Ireland. They are often mentioned together, but they do very different jobs. This guide explains, in plain terms, what each one does, how a business actually reaches its support, and where other routes such as tax incentives fit in. It is a map, not an application guide, and it deliberately contains no rates, amounts or eligibility thresholds, because those change and sit on the official pages.

The short version

• SBCI funds lenders so that they can offer lower-cost credit to small and medium businesses. According to SBCI, credit is provided through on-lending partners who lend directly to SMEs; a business deals with a participating lender.
• Enterprise Ireland is the Irish government's enterprise development agency. It offers equity investment, grants and advisory support to its clients and applicants, mainly in manufacturing and internationally traded services.
• Tax-based supports are a separate category run through Revenue, such as the R&D tax credit. They are covered in our linked guides and are separate from the SBCI and Enterprise Ireland supports described here.

What SBCI is and how it works

According to the SBCI website, the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland was established in 2014 to make use of national and international funding so that low-cost credit can be made available to Irish SMEs. The site explains that credit is provided through on-lending partners who, in turn, lend directly to SMEs, and that SBCI provides the same low-cost pricing of funds to all its on-lending partners.

A separate SBCI page on regulation states that the sole shareholder is the Minister for Finance, that SBCI is incorporated in Ireland as a Designated Activity Company, and that its funding comes from sources it lists, including European and national institutions. That page also says SBCI products must comply with EU State aid rules. Our suggestion: because SBCI says its products may contain an element of State aid, read the scheme terms before you apply.

SBCI's product pages do not show a last-updated date. Treat any product description as a starting point and confirm current availability with the lender.

Who the on-lending partners are

The SBCI partners page describes two broad groups. Risk-sharing partners include the main banks, a commercial finance company, a non-bank lender, An Post Money and several credit unions (on that page, credit unions are mentioned mainly in connection with the Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme). Liquidity partners are specialist providers, for example in invoice finance, green transition finance, asset finance, small loans and leasing or hire purchase.

The page lists each partner's own route for SBCI loan enquiries, and SBCI's "what we do" page says the funding is available to SMEs through its partners. Each partner has its own contact route, whether a branch network, a dedicated SME line, an email address or a product page. SBCI also offers an online product wizard to help a business identify a suitable product. Our reading: because availability depends on the partner, the lender you approach may not offer every SBCI-backed product.

Product types SBCI describes

The SBCI home page groups its products into a few categories. These are descriptions only; the page gives no pricing or eligibility detail for most of them.

• Green transition finance for SMEs and small mid-cap companies.
• Term loans aimed at start-ups and micro-enterprises. The term loans page explains that applicants register on the SBCI hub, check eligibility and then begin the process with an SBCI partner. It also explains that SBCI's role is the funding, while the partner in this case, Microfinance Ireland, is the lender.
• Invoice financing, which the SBCI home page describes as a working capital facility providing flexible finance that can grow in line with sales growth.
• Leasing and hire purchase for assets such as vehicles.
• Earlier schemes, which the page marks as closed.

Specific interest rates, loan sizes and eligibility limits appear on individual product pages. This guide does not reproduce them, because they change and the pages show no review date. Check the current figures with the partner on the day you apply.

What Enterprise Ireland offers

Enterprise Ireland describes itself as the Irish government's enterprise development agency, investing in and supporting Irish-owned companies as they grow in scale and seek global leadership in their fields. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment's page on Enterprise Ireland describes a state agency supporting manufacturing and internationally traded services companies, from high-potential start-ups through to large companies, as well as college-based researchers commercialising technology.

The Enterprise Ireland funding and grants page lists supports by name and lets visitors filter by business type: start-up, SME, large company or researcher. The supports named there include:

• access and advice supports, including consultancy and review programmes;
• capability and training supports, including operational improvement and training funding;
• innovation and research funding, including vouchers, partnership programmes and a research, development and innovation fund;
• start-up and founder supports, including feasibility and pre-seed supports and mentoring;
• sustainability and energy supports;
• market access supports, including help with exporting and market research;
• digital supports, including digital transition and cyber security review.

Some programmes on that page show maximum amounts. This guide leaves them out on purpose: the page shows no review date and each programme has its own eligibility rules. Use the individual programme page and, where relevant, talk to your Enterprise Ireland contact.

The Department's page describes Enterprise Ireland as supporting manufacturing and internationally traded services companies, and it lists the Local Enterprise Office alongside Enterprise Ireland under the National Enterprise Hub without describing it in detail. If you are unsure which applies, check both.

SBCI versus Enterprise Ireland: choosing the right door

Other routes to keep in view

Finance for a growing company is rarely one product. Depending on circumstances, a business may combine a lender-delivered loan, an Enterprise Ireland grant and a tax incentive. Two Revenue-administered routes are covered in our other guides: the R&D tax credit mentioned above and the Employment and Investment Incentive Scheme. Each has its own conditions and its own application route, and neither is part of SBCI or Enterprise Ireland.

Our suggestion: before approaching any lender or agency, assemble the same core pack: recent accounts, a short plan for the funds, evidence of what the business will do with them, and a clear view of what public support you have already received. SBCI says its products must comply with EU State aid rules, so keeping a record of public support you have received may help with later applications. For finance and operations staff who handle these applications, ongoing professional development in Dublin is worth considering; see our overview of CPD training for finance professionals in Dublin.

Our suggestion: put a diary reminder to review the SBCI and Enterprise Ireland pages whenever you start a funding conversation. Schemes close, partners change, and the official pages are the only reliable source.

Learnsignal's offices are off Baggot Street in Dublin, and we offer in-person training from there. For current details, see our CPD pages.

Frequently asked questions

Can a business borrow directly from SBCI?

According to SBCI's own pages, funding is available to SMEs through its on-lending partners, who lend directly to SMEs, so a business deals with a partner lender.

Is SBCI the same as Enterprise Ireland?

No. SBCI funds lenders so they can offer lower-cost credit to SMEs. Enterprise Ireland is a separate government enterprise development agency that offers equity, grants and advisory supports to eligible companies.

Do I need to be an exporter to get Enterprise Ireland support?

The Department's description of the agency focuses on manufacturing and internationally traded services companies, high-potential start-ups, larger companies and college-based researchers. Check the eligibility on the specific programme page.

Where do I find the current interest rates and grant amounts?

On the individual SBCI product pages, with your chosen lender, and on the individual Enterprise Ireland programme pages. Figures change, and the official product pages do not show update dates, so confirm them directly before relying on them.

Business finance supports change regularly. Always confirm the current position with SBCI, your lender and Enterprise Ireland before making decisions.