Bank of Ireland UK has launched a new initiative to support Northern Ireland’s exporting businesses, with the clear message that it has money to lend to those who have a sound proposition.

The initiative, which will provide exporters with access to a dedicated team of export finance experts, was launched at Parliament Buildings, Stormont, last night (Tuesday 20th March) in the presence of Arlene Foster MLA, the Enterprise Minister.

Mr Des Crowley, Bank of Ireland Chief Executive for Retail (UK and Ireland), said the future prosperity of Northern Ireland would be strongly determined by its ability to make and sell both products and services for external markets.

“Northern Ireland’s relatively small export base offers considerable growth potential. Bank of Ireland UK already partners with a large number of export-orientated businesses in Northern Ireland and we believe our new Export Initiative chimes perfectly with the ambitions of the Northern Ireland Executive expressed in the Programme for Government and the new Economic Strategy,” he said.

“Northern Ireland remains core to Bank of Ireland Group’s future plans. We are very aware of our responsibilities to support economic recovery and ensure that viable businesses get access to the finance they need. We have finance to lend and I would ask those businesses with a sound proposition to approach us and test our commitment.”

Bank of Ireland UK’s Export Initiative includes a number of new steps designed to support companies which export or have the potential to export.

It gives businesses access to a dedicated team of locally-based export finance experts including commercial finance, global markets, trade finance and regional business managers. The Bank is also running six export seminars across Northern Ireland in April and May.

Mr Crowley also announced that Bank of Ireland UK planned to sign up to the UK Export Finance Guarantee Scheme. UK Export Finance is the UK’s export credit agency and the scheme provides benefits both to exporters and participating banks which can result in enhancing the finance available to exporters.

Full details of the support available to export businesses is available at http://www.bankofireland.co.uk/business-banking or through Bank of Ireland UK’s local Business Managers.

The Stormont event was attended by key business figures representing many local exporters who are customers of Bank of Ireland UK.