Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 30 June 2020

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response

Impact of Covid-19: SME Recovery

Mr. Derek Butler:

I will not comment on that because each bank has to take its own position but I can say that unless there is a major injection of confidence through a major injection of liquidity into the SME sector, this is just the start of those types of announcements by the banks because they represent a withdrawal of confidence from the system. The banking sector has already come out regarding the credit guarantee scheme announced in May not being fit for purpose. That is an example of a measure that needs to be completely overhauled for it to be effective but this is just the start if we do not get the liquidity piece right in the next couple of months, specifically in the July stimulus.