Honohan: Banks must provide more credit

The Governor of the Central Bank is calling on commercial banks to resume lending to small and medium enterprises.

Professor Patrick Honohan is raising concerns about the limited availability of credit for start-up firms and SME's.

He said banks have reacted to their own difficulties, and to the downturn, by greatly reducing their "risk appetite".

The Governor said banks must focus more attention on providing credit, not just for the sake of the economy but in their own interests, as property lending will reduce.