Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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285. To ask the Minister for Finance his views on whether banks and other lending institutions are prioritising motor finance over business and residential loans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1517/17]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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The lending decisions of the banks and other lending institutions are commercial decisions for the management team and board of each institution, having due regard to their customers. In addition, the Deputy will be aware that the lending institutions in Ireland, including those in which the State has a significant shareholding, are independent commercial entities and that relationship frameworks are in place with the State owned banks which provide that the State will not intervene in the day-to-day operations of the banks or their management decisions. These frameworks are required to ensure that the banks are run on a commercial, cost effective and independent basis to ensure the value of the banks as an asset for the State.

A breakdown of the purpose and maturity of loans to Irish households is available in Table A.5.1 in the Statistics section of the Central Bank website at . The most recent data covers the period to November 2016. This divides loans into those for house purchase, consumer credit and other loans but does not provide specific details on the purpose of the consumer credit loans.