Growth and Sustainability Loan Scheme (GSLS)

Loans for Growth and Resilience

These loans are long-term investments towards the growth and resilience of the enterprise. Loans will be allowed – subject to certain conditions - for, but not limited to, the following purposes:

• Investments in tangible or intangible assets.
• Machinery or equipment (like agricultural machinery).
• Automation and control technology (like smart metres).
• Research and development.
• Business expansion.
• Premises improvement.
• Process innovation.

Loans for Climate Action and Environmental Sustainability

These loans are long-term investments towards climate action and environment sustainability. Businesses wishing to invest in climate action and environmental sustainability may be categorised as one of the following:

• Investment in green/sustainable measures.
• Any investment by SMEs classified as a Green / Sustainable Enterprise.
• Any investment by farmers classified as a holder of a Green Eco Label.

Qualifying climate action and environmentally sustainable loans will receive a discounted interest rate when compared to equivalent loans.

Learn about the Loan Purpose.

Key Loan Features

• Variable Interest rate loans.
• Loan amounts from €25,000 to €3,000,000 per borrower.
• Loan terms from 7 years up to 10 years.
• Loans are unsecured up to and including €500,000; loans above €500,000 will be secured.
• Personal guarantees for loans in excess of €500,000 are limited up to 20% of the loan amount.
• Capital and interest moratoria (up to 90 days) are permitted within the scheme (subject to Bank approval).

Explore more loan features.

How to Apply

Before you apply, make sure that your business qualifies for the scheme.

Step 1

• Visit the SBCI website to register or log in to the SBCI Hub.
• Submit an online Eligibility Application Form to check if they can access the scheme.
• Once the online form is completed, successful applicants will be issued with an eligibility code.

Step 2

The applicant must provide this eligibility code to their local Business Lending Advisor or Relationship Manager, when submitting their credit application process.

Satisfaction of SBCI Eligibility Criteria will not guarantee loan approval and does not oblige PTSB to provide finance.

Approval of the loan is subject to PTSB’s own credit criteria, policies, and procedures.

The Growth and Sustainability Loan Scheme will operate until 30 June 2026 or until the scheme has been fully subscribed (whichever is earlier).

Who Can Apply

Viable SME and Small Mid-Cap businesses (enterprise that is not an SME but has fewer than 500 employees), 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.

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 (enterprise that is not an SME but has fewer than 500 employees) 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.
• For limited companies who do not have their annual filings up to date, any company that is overdue must bring these up to date with the CRO before applying.

Excluded Activities

Applicants must not use the loan proceeds for:

• Refinancing of existing term loan debt.
• Financing of activities constituting pure financial transactions.
• Financing of specific export operations.
• Financing current expenditure linked to the export activity.
• Financing contingent upon the use of domestic over imported products.
• Financing of pure real estate development activity.
• Financing of land or property purchases, including agricultural land.
• Financing to support the purchase of livestock.
• Financing the purchase of fishing vessels.
• Financing the establishment and operation of a distribution network in other Member States.
• Restrictions specific to fisheries and aquaculture - under Article 29 GBER.
• Restrictions specific to agriculture - under Articles 14 and 17 ABER.
• Further exclusions under the De Minimis Regulation.

Learn more about Excluded Activities.

Eligibility Criteria

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:
  • It has been delinquent for less than 20 days and;
  • 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.