Oireachtas committee to discuss business credit

The Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Social Protection and Education will meet later to discuss proposals to enhance the availability of credit for businesses.

Surveys by various business organisations in recent months show that banks are still reluctant to lend to small and medium-sized firms in the majority of cases.

Amongst the measures the Government is hoping to introduce is a partial loan guarantee scheme.

Chairperson of the Oireachtas Committee, Fine Gael TD Damien English, said this will help struggling companies who are currently unable to secure loans from banks.

Under the scheme, he said, the Government would step in and help guarantee loans to businesses.