Troika calls for SMEs to be central to bank clean-up

Small and medium-sized businesses having problems managing their bank loans must be the focus of government moves to help clean up banks, the troika said as it ended its tenth review of Ireland’s bailout programme.

It brought reforms to the legal profession back under the spotlight, seeking greater competition and cutting costs, while in health it urged the Government to reduce the price of medication.

However, it said there must be no let-up on austerity, strengthening Finance Minister Michael Noonan’s hand for spending cuts and tax increases in the budget.