Small-loan scheme set to launch nationwide
A pilot scheme designed to keep people out of the hands of money lenders is set to go nationwide.
The Personal Micro Credit Scheme allows people on social welfare to take out small loans from their Credit Union.
The loans of up to €500 can be used for things like Christmas or back-to-school expenses.
The scheme had a 95% satisfaction rating among customers.
"Really what we were trying to do is give people the opportunity to get such loans at a much lower interest rate than they would currently get from the money lenders," said Brendan Whelan of the Social Finance Foundation.
"And you're talking about a difference in interest rates of say, a credit union, who might be charging maybe up to 10%, and a money-lending organisation that could be charging an interest rate closer to 200% per annum."
