John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On the revaluation of rates, that is why it is so important that there will be centralisation of services in the one business desk where local government will be very much involved. On the revaluation of rates in Dublin, it is hard to justify such a 40% increase. It does not stack up. I would certainly appeal that decision.

If Deputy Wallace was raising the role of the investment bank, the Minister, Deputy Richard Bruton, has stated that there are many opportunities for the micro-finance fund, the loan guarantee and the banks. We are very much benchmarking the banks to give out the money. One must remember that our banks are now domestic banks. They are back here in the local domestic economy. Clearly, it is about supporting the role. However, I am not disagreeing with Deputy Wallace. An investment bank is something that was in the Action Plan for Jobs. It is something on which the Government must make a decision in the future.

We are now asking the banks to do better than they are doing. I am not here condoning the difficulties business people are encountering where they are experiencing considerable difficulty in getting loans from banks. We advise going through the process, appealing the decision, going to the Credit Review Office and noting the loan options provided by Government, such as the microfinance fund and the loan guarantee, which facilities those in business should use.

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