Central Bank loans €53.7bn to banks

Dublin: The Central Bank may have loaned as much as €53.7 billion to the country’s banks at the end of last month in the shape of exceptional liquidity, down from €54.1bn at the end of April.

The Central Bank’s “other assets” stood at €53.7 billion as of May 27, according to figures published on the bank’s website. The bank has said “other assets ” includes “exceptional liquidity assistance lending” for Irish banks, without giving more details.

This liquidity makes up the bulk of the category, according to a central bank official, who declined to be identified. Irish-based lenders’ borrowings from the European Central Bank fell to €102.3bn from €106.1bn at the end of April, the central bank said.