Irish leader urges banks: Lend more to builders

Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin criticized banks for not lending enough to builders, hindering housing supply. He urged them to increase lending to address the significant housing demand. Martin stated that banks are "still rooted in the last war," referring to past financial crises, and need to change their approach. He spoke with the Banking Federation of Ireland about the issue. This follows reports of decreased lending to developers by major banks, despite the Central Bank's assessment that banks are well-capitalized. The Taoiseach believes more lending is crucial.