Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I understand that Bank of Ireland, AIB and the two non-bank on-lenders are honouring the terms of the protocols they have entered into. I hope that there will be more on-lenders. I know that the SBCI is in advanced discussions with a number of other bank and non-bank lenders. It is anticipated that further announcements of new on-lending agreements will be made in the coming months. In terms of advertising the availability, apart from the obligation on the banks to inform customers, many of the trade organisations and representative bodies are fulfilling a role of providing the information.

The Irish Farmers Association, IFA, and the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association, ICMSA, for example, are doing it in the agriculture sector. The Irish Business Employers Confederation, IBEC, is certainly doing it for small and medium enterprises, SMEs, and the Small Business Association is also doing it. There is significant take-up across the sectors but the agriculture sector took the lead. Dairy farmers, in particular, are gearing up for the non-quota days and there is very significant investment going into dairy farms.

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