Growth and Sustainability Loan Scheme (ROI)

• Loan amounts from €25,000 to a maximum of €3,000,000 per borrower (loan amounts are dependent on aid intensity and State aid thresholds)
• Loan terms from 7 years up to a maximum of 10 years
• Loans are unsecured up to €500,000; loans above €500,000 may be secured.
• Personal guarantees for loans in excess of €500,000 are limited up to 20% of the loan amount.
• Loans may only be used for the purposes of long-term investment for business growth and resilience or long-term investment in climate action and environmentally sustainable measures.
• Additional discounted rate for loans for climate action and environmentally sustainable purposes
• Loans are available up to 30 June 2026 or until the scheme has been fully subscribed (whichever is earlier)

Viable SME and Small Mid-Cap businesses, including farmers and fishers, that meet the eligibility criteria.

SMEs are defined by the standard EU definition contained in Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC as enterprises that:

• have fewer than 250 employees.
• have an annual turnover not exceeding €50 million and/or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding €43 million.
• are independent and autonomous, and not part of a wider group of enterprises.
• have less than 25% of their capital held by public bodies.

A Small Mid-Cap is an enterprise that is not an SME but has fewer than 500 employees.

In addition, to be eligible for the scheme, SMEs must be established in an EU Member State and operating in the Republic of Ireland.

Who cannot apply

An SME or Small Mid-Cap that:

• does not satisfy the eligibility criteria.
• is bankrupt or being wound up or having its affairs administered by courts.
• is subject to, or fulfils the criteria under domestic law for being placed in, collective insolvency proceedings.
• in the last five years has entered into an arrangement in the context of being bankrupt, or wound up, or having its affairs administered by courts, or has been the subject of a final judgment or final administrative decision for being in breach of its obligations relating to the payment of taxes or social security contributions, or it or any of the persons having powers of representation, decision-making or control over it has been convicted by a final judgment or a final administrative decision for grave professional misconduct, where such conduct denotes wrongful intent or gross negligence, or it or persons having powers of representation, decision-making or control over it has been the subject of a final judgment for fraud, corruption, participation in a criminal organisation, money laundering or terrorist financing, terrorist offences or offences linked to terrorist activities, or inciting, aiding, abetting or attempting to commit such offences, or child labour and other forms of trafficking in human beings
• has a substantial focus in one or more of the excluded activities or restricted sectors, or
• has been convicted of an offence or subject to a ruling concerning professional conduct, fraud, corruption, involvement in a criminal organisation, money laundering or any other illegal activity where such illegal activity is detrimental to the EU’s financial interest.

An SME or Small Mid-Cap must satisfy all of the following criteria:

• It is established in an EU Member State and operating in the Republic of Ireland
• It does not have a substantial focus on one or more excluded sectors.
• It is not established in a non-compliant jurisdiction.
• It is not delinquent or in default in respect of any other loan or lease either granted by the on-lender or by another financial institution unless (i) it has been delinquent for less than 20 days and (ii) such delinquency does not dissuade the on-lender from lending to the SME in accordance with its credit policy.
• It is not engaged in any illegal activities.
• It is not a sanctioned person or in breach of restrictive measures.
• It is not subject to any preferential tax measure regarded as harmful under the EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes.

Loans under the Growth and Sustainable Loan Scheme will be eligible for either growth and resilience investment or climate action and environmentally sustainable purposes.

NACE Codes

NACE is the standard system used in the European Union for classifying business activity. Download a list of NACE Codes applicable for the Scheme.

Applicants must not use the loan proceeds for:

• refinancing of existing term loan debt
• financing of pure real estate development activity
• financing to support the purchase of agri land
• financing to support the purchase of livestock
• financing to support the purchase of fishing vessels
• financing of specific export operations
• financing current expenditure linked to the export activity
• financing contingent upon the use of domestic over imported products
• financing the establishment and operation of a distribution network in other Member States, or
• additional restrictions apply to loans covered by Articles 14 and 17 ABER; Article 29 GBER and under the De Minimis Regulation.

For a full list of Excluded Activities, visit the SBCI website.

The Growth and Sustainability Loan Scheme operates under the following State aid measures:

De Minimis Regulation

• Small Mid-Caps.
• SMEs borrowing funds for climate action and environmental sustainability measures.

Article 17 of the General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER)

• SMEs borrowing funds to invest in growth and resilience measures.

Article 29 of the General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER)

• SMEs in the fishery and aquaculture sector implementing process and organisational innovation projects.

Articles 14 of the Agriculture Block Exemption Regulation (ABER)

• SMEs active in the primary production of agricultural products.

Articles 17 of the Agriculture Block Exemption Regulation (ABER)

• SMEs active in the processing of agricultural products and the marketing of agricultural products.

For a more extensive description of the State aid measures applicable to the scheme, visit the SBCI website.