Luxembourg, 23/10/2002 (Agence Europe) - The European Investment Bank (EIB) is lending EUR 100 million to Allied Irish Banks p.l.c. (AIB) to boost investment by small and medium-scale enterprises in Ireland. AIB will handle the funds, in the form of a global credit facility, which they will on-lend to individual SMEs. AIB is one of the main providers of banking services to the small and medium-sized business sector in Ireland. The EIB financing is to be earmarked for productive capital investments by SMEs, with the aim of generating growth and employment by increasing their productivity and competitiveness.