President Connolly signs the Credit Review Bill 2024
On Tue 3rd Feb, 2026 new legislation was signed that strengthens Ireland’s framework for reviewing bank credit decisions affecting SMEs and farmers:
• It establishes the Credit Review Service as an independent statutory body
• It preserves the core function – providing an impartial appeals mechanism for viable small businesses whose loan applications have been refused by Irish banks
• It empowers the Minister for Finance to extend the Service’s scope to non bank lenders and other regulated financial providers if necessary in the future – important as SMEs are starting to rely more on alternative funding sources.
The new law aims to help small businesses have confidence in the lending system with Credit Review acting as watchdog as well as providing appeals. It gives SMEs and farm borrowers a fair way to challenge lending decisions they think are wrong. Overall, it aims to make lending more consistent and to support new businesses, investment, and job growth.
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