New lending to SMEs not involved in property or finance rose by 10% last year, when compared with 2014.
The figures released by the Central Bank show SMEs engaged in the primary industries drew down the largest share.
The last three months of 2015 marked the highest drawdown for this sector since the series began in 2010, although it continues to attract higher than average interest rates.
Property-related lending to SMEs no longer constitutes the largest share of outstanding credit to SMEs, mainly due to loan sales and large repayments.
Despite this the sector accounted for 30% of draw-downs over Q4 2015, and continues to secure an increasing proportion of new advances.
There is, however, significant differences in interest rates charged to property-related lending, with lower than average rates applying to new SME lending for real-estate, while the reverse is true for construction.
Meanwhile, the diverging credit trend between SMEs and larger enterprises, with large businesses drawing down more in new loans than was repaid during 2015.
Bank credit to SMEs declined for the fourteenth consecutive quarter between October and December last year, with the outstanding stock of SME credit decreasing by 3% over the quarter to stand at €43.5bn.
The total weighted average interest rate on new SME loan draw-downs during the final quarter of 2015 was 4.52% - a 0.58% decline over the year.
The existing stock of Irish SME loans carry a lower weighted average interest rate; recorded at 3.16% at end-Q4.
Outstanding loans include renegotiations of existing loans, which are excluded from new draw-downs.
