ISME: Banks refusing 52% of loans to SME's

More than half of Irish small and medium businesses have been denied a bank loan in the past three months.

A new survey from ISME shows that 52% of their members have been refused a loan in that time, but that figure is an improvement on the previous quarter.

It is calling on the Government to "up its game" and ensure that "the bailed out banks start lending to SMEs again".

The Irish Banking Federation has claimed the survey's findings are inaccurate, but Chief Executive of ISME Mark Fielding denies it.