New figures from the Central Bank show that lending growth slipped to its lowest rate in more than three years in September.
The annual rate of growth was 19.5%, compared with 20.1% in August.
Residential mortgage lending grew at an annual rate of 16.1%, compared with 17% in August. Growth has been falling by around a point a month since January.
The monthly rise in mortgage lending was €1.2 billion, the second lowest so far this year. The rise for the first nine months of this year was €12.7 billion, nearly 30% less than the same period last year.
The increase in non-mortgage credit slowed to 24.5% from 25% in August. The annual pace of growth in outstanding credit card debt held virtually steady for the third month running at 11.6%.
'While new spending on credit cards fell in September compared to August, there was a somewhat larger fall in payments received,' the bank said.
