Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 96: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his views on the recent revelation by the Central Bank of Ireland that the amount of credit extended to the small and medium enterprise sector had declined in every quarter since 2010; his plans to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31088/12]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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My colleague the Minister for Finance, Mr. Michael Noonan TD has responsibility for the banks and bank lending, and I understand that he addressed this issue in his written response to question 31087/12, also tabled by the Deputy.

Access to credit is key to building a vibrant and sustainable enterprise base. I am currently bringing two pieces of legislation through the Oireachtas to deal with some of the difficulties in this area namely, the Credit Guarantee Bill 2012 and the Microenterprise Loan Fund Bill 2012. These two targeted initiatives are important in terms of address specific market failures and facilitating a more accessible financing environment for SMEs in Ireland.

Furthermore, I have recently met with the CEO's of the two pillar banks to impress upon them the importance of their lending practices being in tune with the changing needs of Irish companies. In addition, my Department is working closely with the Department of Finance and the Credit Review Office to ensure that the amount of credit to the SME sector is maximised to facilitate sustainable job creation and retention.