John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)

We know that, and the Taoiseach said some of it yesterday in his reply to Deputy Micheál Martin. However, 50% of businesses that have applied for loans have been refused. Some 91% tell us the banks are more difficult to deal with. This is the analysis of a survey carried out by a national organisation associated with small businesses. Some 79% of businesses say working and dealing with their bank has become much more difficult and they simply cannot get money.

Vast sums of taxpayers' money have been put into the banks by the Government and the previous one. The Government has promised €3.5 billion in the course of this year. Despite this, 92% of those surveyed say that what the Government is doing is having no impact whatsoever on lending by banks. If the Government is to recover that State money, if we are to get money from investors and if we are to get people back to work, it is essential the banks be forced to assist small businesses.

The Taoiseach said something critical yesterday and again today. He said the banks have changed their approach to lending money. I would expect that from them. They have changed it to such an extent, however, that the majority of small businesses, which are responsible for 700,000, jobs, cannot get the money, which is taxpayers' money that we put into the banks. We seem to be sitting on our hands and talking about the activity of all of this while businesses throughout the country go broke and jobs are lost. Confidence within the business sector, and therefore job creation, is now falling through the floor and we are not responding in any meaningful way. Promises will not do anymore. Whatever the Taoiseach does, I ask him to ensure he comes heavy with the banks and insists on the money going to the SME sector to create the jobs which are much needed.

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