Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

A person has been appointed who will adjudicate on cases that have been declined. I have facilitated that person's accommodation in Enterprise Ireland, although the role is independent of that agency. I am also providing secretarial and administrative assistance to allow that work to commence.

On the issue of attitudinal change, I am aware of a number of companies that have come forward on the basis of increased rates of interest, for example, changes by which people have obtained access to overdrafts, etc. My Department, the agencies and I have been working with the banks to facilitate such people who have the bona fides as regards trading successfully through difficult times. It was on that basis that I introduced the stabilisation fund which is working very well. Some €56 million has been allocated since the end of last year. The employment subsidy scheme is supporting people to keep them in work and has been used as an enormously beneficial way in which we can support companies with trading difficulties, where there are viabilities and vulnerabilities. These are being supported by all of the agencies.

As the Deputy is aware, a second tranche has been advertised and I hope we will very quickly have a final determination on those who will be supported. That work is being done by Enterprise Ireland. We are investing in the stabilisation of many of these concerns, supporting these companies in the context of providing new opportunities for them. That is the work being done by the agencies under my remit and that of Údarás na Gaeltachta. On the issue of recapitalisation or the capital supports that may be needed in the context of financial institutions, these will not be determined by picking a number off the top of one's head. It will be done in an analytical way and, as I have indicated, clearly our preference is for that capital to be raised from private sources in the first instance. There has been no final determination by the Minister for Finance or the Government as to what those capital requirements will be.

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