Ireland's Covid-19 business loans 'paltry compared with UK response'

Goodbody chief economist Dermot O’Leary said that its analysis showed that Irish Government-backed business loan schemes for SMEs trail way behind those offered by the UK

Lending schemes to small firms backed by the Government during the Covid-19 crisis have been “paltry” compared with those of the UK and a lot more will be required, Goodbody chief economist Dermot O’Leary has said.

Since the onset of the crisis business groups have warned that Ireland’s response to the economic crisis in the range of business supports is marked by the absence of credit-guarantee schemes as introduced by other European countries, including the UK and Switzerland.