Small business owners demand loan approval

GIVE us a loan – that was one of the shouts from the floor to a bank chief at this year’s annual ISME conference.

In response, Bank of Ireland director of business banking Mark Cunningham said: “Come and talk to us”.

The annual ISME conference was packed with hundreds of small business owners, all looking for tips on how to survive. They listened to bank and Revenue speakers. Economist Alan McQuaid was there, as was Glen Dimplex chief Sean O’Driscoll.