Marie Louise O'Donnell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Some 1.2 million people work in the SME sector in this country. Why am I meeting directors, CEOs and heads of business who are not getting working capital from the banks, are being delayed decisions, are being left for months wondering where the next wages are coming from, and are waiting months for negative decisions? Why am I at the same time witnessing the devastation of rural Ireland? Did every one of us not put €3.75 billion into the banks to recapitalise them for this very purpose? I would like the Minister of State at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation with responsibility for small business, Deputy Perry, the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, or the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Bruton, to come here and tell me exactly how many small businesses have been affected, how many small businesses the banks have saved, why they have not saved them and what the banks are going to do about it.