Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Acting Chairman. That was a nicely done Dublin South turnaround in the Chair.

I raise a couple of issues. The 100 applications to the microfinance scheme is a healthy sign that is to be welcomed but when only 14 have been approved under the credit guarantee scheme it points to a serious problem in terms of awareness of it. When the Minister of State meets representatives of the banks he must bring it home to them that they must do a great deal more in raising awareness of that.

I am aware that in recent years the Minister of State has undertaken tours of the country with chambers of commerce and local business groups on access to finance issues. Would he consider doing that again? He has these two solutions in place but people simply are not aware of them. There is a common problem about awareness across the Department.

The poster boys for the Department, the exporters, are dissatisfied. A survey of exporters last year found that 51% were dissatisfied with the information provided on the application process for five schemes. There is no sense in putting so much work into putting those schemes in place if there is a general lack of awareness about them.

The Minister of State spoke about businesses that were previously refused by the banks and that used to be an acceptable excuse but given the level of refusals by banks, with many solid and healthy businesses being refused credit, it is unfair to price in a premium because a bank previously refused a business.

The most important point is that we need to build a greater awareness of these schemes.

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