Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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There have been no funds assigned to Microfinance Ireland (MFI) in 2023 and no projected funding for 2024.

The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment has paid a total of €49.79 million in grant funding to MFI since its inception in 2012. This is made up of €25 million paid on establishment, €24.79 million in 2020, and €5 million in 2021 to fund the running costs and loan default related bad debts net of the European Investment Fund (EIF) guarantee.

At year end 31 December 2022, MFI has more than €30m in net assets.

Separately, in June 2021, MFI agreed a debt funding facility of €30 million with the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) which is a State body under the aegis of Department of Finance. This significantly increased MFI’s lending capacity and ability to assist more microenterprises.

Microfinance Ireland 2023 annual accounts will be published later this year.

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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The recent announcement from Becton Dickinson that it will close its Drogheda site, on a phased basis over the next 2.5 years, is disappointing. My first thoughts are with the employees and their families impacted by this decision and Government and our Agencies will support the impacted employees in the uncertain period ahead.

As part of its ongoing engagement with BD, the company informed the IDA of a potential decision for a phased closure of its Drogheda facility on Monday 1^st July, at which time IDA Ireland informed my Department via a confidential Early Warning Report system. Once the company Board ratified its decision, the company notified me in writing on Tuesday 2nd July. My Department subsequently received a notification of proposed collective redundancy from the company on Monday 8th July.

IDA Ireland’s Med-Tech and New York teams have been actively engaged with BD across all its Irish sites with support from the wider IDA Team including, Regional Development, Strategic Property Department, Green Economy and Talent, Transformation and Innovation on the themes of growth, transformation, talent and skills, research, and innovation.

IDA Ireland has regularly engaged with BD on potential supports to its 4 Irish sites, including Drogheda, and will continue to engage with BD Corporate, BD UK & Ireland and BD Drogheda to support the company, and its employees, in light of this announcement.

In particular, financial supports for staff training and upskilling were outlined, along with sustainability and decarbonisation initiatives. These funding schemes are intended to assist in transforming operations and staff as the sector drives towards a green and digital future. Upon being informed of the BD Board decision, IDA reiterated supports available to the company for transformation, and requested further details on the review and parameters, timelines from the company. IDA Ireland has committed to work with BD over the course of the next 2.5 years closure process to secure a replacement investor for the site.

IDA Ireland will work to support the Company and impacted employees in the coming weeks and months and market Drogheda and the BD facility to potential FDI investors and highlight the skills of impacted employees with other employers in the Region where IDA client companies are actively recruiting. Moreover, I am meeting the company's global leadership on my Trade and Investment Mission to the US next week where I will discuss in detail BD's plans for its Irish operations going forward as it will continue to have some 900 employees in Ireland across three other sites.

Finally, the information requested by the Deputy on grants paid to Becton Dickinson by location over the past 5 years is contained in the table below: