Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)

I take it from that answer that the Minister has no plan to help businesses get cash. What will she do to ensure cash is available to businesses? They need overdrafts and small term loans, which are the tools of small business and no longer exist. Does the Minister realise that, and realise how serious this is, because she has not answered my question? What specifically is she proposing to do? Has she met the banks and warned them as regards the situation? Is she willing to engage in some type of State-guaranteed bank loan situation as has been mentioned by the Small Firms Association — and is being done in England — or is she prepared to do anything? We do not seem to have any action plan. I have read through the Finance Bill but it is not being addressed. The only concession there is that new businesses may defer tax, nothing else.

Small businesses have very serious problems. Will the Minister not even encourage her own State agencies to pay them more quickly? Is there not money in the European Investment Bank that may be accessed? Will the Minister not seek it because people are under serious pressure and in January there will be many unpalatable announcements unless we wake up and do something constructive in the next couple of weeks?

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