Coveney asks banks to give farmers leeway on credit

Banks have been requested by Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney to take a flexible approach towards extending credit to their farmer customers, arising from recent weather-related difficulties.

In a written reply to a Dáil question by Fianna Fáil TD John McGuinness he said he was acutely aware that some farmers may be having short-term difficulties in managing their borrowings.

Along with his officials, he said he was in regular contact with farm bodies, national banks and the Irish Banking Federation concerning credit and indebtedness matters relating to farmers.