Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

I support Senator David Norris in his call for the renaming of Terminal 2 as James Joyce International Airport. It would be an appropriate recognition of Dublin's status as a UNESCO city of literature.

I wish to raise a serious matter, on which I seek the support of the House. What does the country need to do to grow out of recession? The answer is jobs, export-led business and thriving indigenous companies which allow for sustainable growth. Before me I have the case of a high-tech Galway company which is ready to create eight new jobs, but its request for finance has been rejected by the State-owned banks. The company is offering €4.5 million of new business from Britain, with which it can create these jobs, but AIB which is almost 100% nationalised has rejected its request for credit which is needed to buy equipment to deliver on the project. This must be a source of concern for the entire House. We own the banks and this is unpatriotic behaviour on their part. They are rejecting viable companies' requests for finance. When I asked why the offer had been rejected, I was told a slow "No" was the bank's answer, with the company being fobbed off. I ask the Leader to call for the intervention of the Taoiseach. The Minister for Finance is doing a fine job for us abroad in trying to take care of the extraordinary debt burden we are facing. At home, however, we must create jobs and support viable businesses. I, therefore, ask the House for its support to ensure there is movement on this issue. I will pass on the specific details to the Leader and ask him to intervene in this case. That AIB and Bank of Ireland are refusing to offer credit is nothing short of national sabotage.