David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will be very brief because I am conscious that the director general must leave by 1.55 p.m. He is very welcome to Dublin and Ireland. The committee has focused very much on SMEs and support for them. During the visit to Brussels the meeting with the Director General was one of the best exchanges we had.

One of the big issues facing the SME sector in this State is the level of indebtedness. It has been acknowledged as a serious problem when the matter was discussed by economists and the SME sector. What is Mr. Calleja Crespo’s understanding of the problem in this country compared with other member states?

We invited organisations representing SMEs generally and the banks to discuss barriers to credit and how to access credit. There is a clear difference between what the banks told us and what the organisations that represent small businesses told us, namely, the latter find it difficult to get access to credit. A lack of appetite for risk is evident within the banking sector. What is Mr. Calleja Crespo’s view? How prevalent is that situation across Europe? Does he have any comparisons between banks’ lending to SMEs in this country compared with other European countries?

Issues arise in terms of formal applications being made where there is a discrepancy between the number of loans approved and the number drawn down. How big an issue is that across the EU? We have put a considerable effort into upskilling and retraining employees, which is hugely important, but there is also a need to train and upskill employers, especially in the SME sector. What policies are in place and are envisaged at European Union level to support that aim as well?