Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

As Deputy Bruton pointed out yesterday, a third of county enterprise boards have no seed capital; they cannot help anybody but can pay their own staff. The Government had no problem in putting out approximately €40 billion for recapitalisation of the banks or Anglo Irish Bank. This type of scheme operates in many countries and where they are well designed and constructed, they are commercially driven and self-financing without being a burden on the taxpayer. Banks have only been accustomed to lending where property and assets were involved and they have never been accustomed to lending to small Irish businesses who want to get into manufacturing, exports, food or tourism. These are the areas where we know serious job potential exists. Currently, many businesses which want to use initiative and creativity to get into these areas cannot get the required assistance because the banks' strategies are not as forthcoming as they should be.

In January, the Tánaiste and the Government committed to a loan guarantee scheme but it has not seen the light of day. I recognise that it must be vetted but there is a great degree of messing going on between the Department of Finance and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation. The scheme has not seen the light of day and thousands of small Irish businesses are hanging on by their fingernails. There are 80,000 small businesses in the country employing almost 800,000 people. Not every problem can be solved but this has a solution. The Government committed to the issue but we cannot believe it any more. Will the Taoiseach drive the process through so that we can have a loan guarantee scheme that will be of assistance to small Irish businesses?

As we are talking about consensus, Fine Gael will next week introduce a motion for a loan guarantee scheme. I hope on that occasion, when it will be properly assessed and vetted, the Government will see fit to give it consensus and support in the interest of retaining Irish jobs.

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