asked the Minister for Finance if he will arrange with the banking institutions in this country to grant small loans from £5 to £40 to those who require small temporary accommodation.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Bank Loans.
22.
Banks in this country give small loans in the normal course of business in the form of overdraft accommodation and otherwise to persons requiring them.
Most of the associated banks operate special personal loan schemes either themselves or through subsidiaries.
Does the Minister not consider that if this facility were made known to the public, the public would avail of it to a greater extent and this would prevent them from falling into the grip of moneylenders? Does the Minister not agree with that?
I do.
I asked the Minister to endeavour to do something about it. Perhaps he would speak to the banks and get more publicity for those small loans so that people seeking them could walk into the banks and know they would be facilitated.
The Deputy will agree that in recent years the banks have done a fair amount of advertising of the services they offer. I would certainly agree that anybody with a money problem would be far better off to go to a bank——
Than go to a moneylender.
Yes.