Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his reply, which was helpful. I wish to ask a number of follow-up questions. Will information relating to the funding to be made available through the SBCI be highlighted, front of house, in bank branches? Will SME customers be able to inquire about such loans in their local banks and will marketing information be available in the respect of SBCI loans and the terms and conditions attaching to them?

I asked about the purpose for which funding would be made available. Initially it is for investment purposes for small and medium-sized enterprises. For how long does the Minister envisage this will remain the case? Is it his intention that the purpose of the funding can be broadened in scope to include meeting the day-to-day cash or working capital requirements of businesses?

Contracts will be entered into between the SBCI and financial institutions. Will they go into detail about the lending criteria to be applied? Ultimately, will it still be very much a decision of the bank on whether to lend? Will the normal lending criteria apply in the assessment of risk by the banks or will these transactions be specified as being different by way of the contract entered into between the SBCI and the bank?

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