John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)

There are several options at the moment and the €32 billion ring-fenced over a three-year period for SMEs is very important. The taxpayer and the Government have recapitalised the banks. It is critically important for domestic banks to have profitable SMEs and SMEs need good banks. It is a win-win situation. The banks are duty bound. On the basis of my discussions with banks and based on the evidence on the ground, people are being refused credit and existing loans have been re-financed. We must have straight talk from the banks and the Government will monitor them. With regard to the funding of micro-finance, the last Administration did nothing. The matter was talked about for years prior to the change of government-----

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