I am aware of the sensitivity and importance of the discussions taking place in Northern Ireland, which I hope can be brought to a successful conclusion. As I have pointed out on many occasions in the past, the Government has the full support of the Fine Gael Party and I am sure all Opposition parties in reaching a successful conclusion to the matter. I wish those involved in the talks well.

Today, Standards & Poor's has downgraded the rating of the Irish banks. I wish to raise the issue of lending capacity and ability to extend credit to businesses. Every business in the country now has a difficulty with the banks. When the National Asset Management Agency legislation was passed we were told it would be the panacea for all business ills and would sort out the problem of lack of credit facilities for businesses. The directors of banks have told the Oireachtas committee that they have no intention of lending back bonds given to them as credit for business. Most of the valuations are now being conducted and are being transferred to NAMA and on to banks. What is the Government's estimate of how much more will need to be invested into the banks in the form of recapitalisation from the taxpayer following the €11 billion invested last year? Having access to information from NAMA and from the banks, the Government should be in a position to ascertain the extent of the black hole that will need to be covered by the taxpayer in the form of extra recapitalisation.

I welcome the comments made on the ongoing talks in Northern Ireland between the Taoiseach, the British Prime Minister and all parties. We are all hopeful that as the discussions continue they will reach a fruitful outcome. As the House will appreciate, it is the reason the Taoiseach is not here this afternoon to answer questions.

On the issue of lending capacity and access to working capital in particular, this is subject to ongoing discussion and I am acutely aware of it as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. I have been working closely with my colleague, the Minister for Finance, in this regard. Both the first and second Mazars reports have been helpful in looking at the lending capacity of the banks and what has been happening within business. I have had occasion to meet with the Governor of the Central Bank in order to have access to new agreed measures on how we may determine real lending.

The issue as to what type of real lending was being made to business was raised here in the House. That has been agreed between Forfás, the Department of Finance and me and we are looking at the issue of access to credit. A credit supply clearing group has been set up by my Department, and we are working through it, between business, IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, county enterprise boards and the banking and lending people to determine how we may create openness and awareness about the needs of business. On that basis I have transferred personnel from Enterprise Ireland into the two major banks, Bank of Ireland and Allied Irish Banks, and this is working quite well. We are continuing to work and address the issue of access to working capital for people within business. In the context of the budget and NAMA a new appointment has been made to arbitrate on differences of opinion between the banking institutions and businesses who believe they are entitled to working capital.

I am not completely satisfied that the amount of working capital being made available is sufficient to furnish the needs of the business community. On that basis I am again working with the banks and the business community so that we may establish the absolute necessity for a change of attitude within the banks and move them away from their reliance heretofore on construction to an expertise on business so that they may take on board the need to take particular risks in the context of supporting people within business.

On the issue of recapitalisation of the banks, the Government would be more comfortable with access to funding from the private sector, but we are not in a position to make a final determination on the needs of banks as that matter has not been finalised by the Minister for Finance.

There has been a change of attitude on the part of the banks. I dealt with seven businesses yesterday that had been called in by the banks. These were legitimate businesses, well run, where nobody had stepped out of line and they borrowed the money on a variable rate. They were called in along with their accountants. The banks make projections as to what the income of those businesses will be for 2010 and then decide how much to impose on top of the borrowing rate. People who have run their businesses well and took the risk in borrowing at variable rates are now being screwed by the banks, as the Tánaiste is aware, since some of them have been in contact with her.

Is the facility for declined cases operational in the Department of Finance? It was supposed to be, but I cannot find any trace of it. Does the Tánaiste not agree that there is a real crunch with Irish business in respect of working capital and if so, given her close relationships with the Minister for Finance and the Central Bank, can she name three initiatives the Government is taking to help small business get credit?

Does the Tánaiste see any relevance now in the proposal put forward by Deputy Richard Bruton for a national recovery bank which would inject a new stream of money into the Irish system, as has happened in other countries — with the chief executives coming before the Oireachtas committee and saying they will not lend any facilities they receive through NAMA back to Irish business? I know the Tánaiste is acutely aware of many businesses that are on the line because they cannot get working capital. I asked her what extra money the taxpayer will have to provide in the context of bank recapitalisation. Some €11 billion was injected last year. Will it be €5 billion, €6 billion, €7 billion or €10 billion since rumours are floating around about the vast sums that will have to be put up as recapitalisation? The Tánaiste is talking to the Central Bank and the Minister for Finance and the Government has to have a view on this.

What is the Government's estimate of the figure needed for further recapitalisation of the banks that will have to be put up by the already downbeaten taxpayer?

A person has been appointed who will adjudicate on cases that have been declined. I have facilitated that person's accommodation in Enterprise Ireland, although the role is independent of that agency. I am also providing secretarial and administrative assistance to allow that work to commence.

On the issue of attitudinal change, I am aware of a number of companies that have come forward on the basis of increased rates of interest, for example, changes by which people have obtained access to overdrafts, etc. My Department, the agencies and I have been working with the banks to facilitate such people who have the bona fides as regards trading successfully through difficult times. It was on that basis that I introduced the stabilisation fund which is working very well. Some €56 million has been allocated since the end of last year. The employment subsidy scheme is supporting people to keep them in work and has been used as an enormously beneficial way in which we can support companies with trading difficulties, where there are viabilities and vulnerabilities. These are being supported by all of the agencies.

As the Deputy is aware, a second tranche has been advertised and I hope we will very quickly have a final determination on those who will be supported. That work is being done by Enterprise Ireland. We are investing in the stabilisation of many of these concerns, supporting these companies in the context of providing new opportunities for them. That is the work being done by the agencies under my remit and that of Údarás na Gaeltachta. On the issue of recapitalisation or the capital supports that may be needed in the context of financial institutions, these will not be determined by picking a number off the top of one's head. It will be done in an analytical way and, as I have indicated, clearly our preference is for that capital to be raised from private sources in the first instance. There has been no final determination by the Minister for Finance or the Government as to what those capital requirements will be.