Mr. Neil McDonnell:

With the best will in the world, the State has directed a lot of money through the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland, SBCI. The SBCI is authorising the flow of credit but when that has hit the pillar banks, it has run into an issue. The SBCI wants to expand its routes to market but that is for members to consider. The credit unions and post office network are dying to get into this game. There are many ways we can assist but the problem is that this issue is running into trouble in the banks and I do not represent banks. The committee has had representations from the Banking & Payments Federation Ireland, BPFI, and it has reservations about the manner in which portfolio risk and all that has been managed. At every hands turn blockages are put in front of the flow of finance to small businesses.