Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for her reply. I will certainly take back the information she has given me and suggest that those businesses should give some information to members of the retail consultation forum. They have presented it as a cashflow issue, so they might not necessarily need a loan, just a facility to carry them over until their cash comes back in after the Christmas period and other times of the year.

Many of us had the opportunity to meet representatives of the credit union movement this morning. Indeed every year they come to talk to us and to various committees. While they want to lend for social housing, which I support fully and which the Central Bank has indicated it would be mindful should happen, a vehicle is needed and the Government must provide it. I understand that if such a vehicle were to be set up to invest in social housing, it would also be a model for investing in small businesses through the credit union movement. Would the Minister be supportive of the credit union movement assisting small businesses?

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