A record number of personal loans (close to 74,000) were also taken out in the third quarter of last year. The value of these loans was €776m – a rise of 16pc on the same quarter in 2024 – according to the Personal Loans Report from the BPFI. Despite the increase in overall value and volume of personal loans, the average personal loan value fell by €172 to €10,537 when compared with last year. The largest spike was seen in green personal loans, which are for energy updates of homes, although the number of these loans being taken out is still lower than lending in other categories. He added that the spike in green personal loans was the highest on record.

Source: Irish Independent February 06, 2026 14:31 UTC