Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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Mr. Ashmore is most welcome. It is stated, "The normal lending assessment criteria will apply". A number of applicants with whom I have spoken found it as difficult to access this facility as when they sought other loans in the past when they had to jump through all sorts of hoops. The exception relates to the requirement for security. Most people who have had relationships with the banks will probably have letters of guarantee and security lodged with them for other stuff they are doing. It is, therefore, difficult to ascertain the benefit of that in general.

Certainly the issue is there may be a lot of people who looked at this, backed away and decided it is not for them and is not going to work because if normal lending criteria apply, the banks are setting a very high bar at present and if they are unable to get a normal loan, they will be unable to get this one either. That is one issue I have come across with many people.

The next point is similar to the point raised by Senator Mulherin regarding the SBCI's core business. Is the SBCI doing a lot of work with the agrifood sector and small businesses? There are many people involved in the small agrifood industry such as artisan producers developing small products who are starved of capital and who cannot get off the ground because they find it so difficult to get the banks to deal with them. In respect of the SBCI's small businesses, big plans programme, is the SBCI doing much work with them? Are there opportunities to find more space for funding for that sector?