New figures show that personal loan activity - including car, home improvement and green loans - reached record highs in the second quarter of this year.
The figures from Banking and Payments Federation Ireland said that loan values rose by 17.6% to €754m, while volumes increased by 16.9% to 70,958 compared to the same time last year.
BPFI noted that these were the highest quarterly levels since the data series began in 2020.
Today's figures show that the average personal loan value rose by €60 year on year to €10,620.
They also reveal that the number of car/auto finance loans rose by 13.1% year on year to 20,131, while the value of loans increased by 15.8% to €260m.
The average car loan in the second quarter of this year was €12,905, up from €12,605 a year earlier.
BPFI also reported a total of 17,740 home improvement loans in the second quarter of 2025, up by 10.3% year on year. These were valued at €228m, 12.5% higher than last year.
The average home improvement loan value was €12,823, an increase from €12,568 on the second quarter of last year.
Meanwhile, a total of 33,087 for other purposes - including education, holidays and special occasions such as weddings - were drawn down in the three months from April to June, a rise of 23.5% in volume with values rising by 24.3% to €266m.
The average loan value in for other loans increased to €8,049 up from €7,997 last year.
Today's figures also show that the value of green personal loans rose by 24.4% year on year to €39.3m in the second quarter, while the number of green loans rose by 30.5% to 1,635.
BPFI noted that the average green loan was relatively high at €24,051, more than twice the average of €10,620 for all loans in the same quarter.
Brian Hayes, BPFI's chief executive, said its latest figures indicate a sustained increase in demand for personal lending, achieving the highest quarterly loan activity levels on record across all categories.
"Notably, car or auto finance loans exceeded 20,000 for the first time since the data series began in 2020, with 20,131 loans valued at €260m," he said.
"Home improvement loans also showed steady growth, with 17,740 loans in Q2 2025, up 10.3% year-on-year while other personal loans, including those for education, holidays, and special occasions such as weddings, totalled 33,087 in the same period, rising by 23.5% compared to Q2 2024," he added.
But he said the largest jump was seen in green personal loans, albeit from a lower base.
"Comprising green car and green home improvement loans, these loans rose in value by 24.4% year on year to €39.3m and by 30.5% in volume to 1,635, the highest activity levels since the green loan data series began in 2022," Mr Hayes said.
"We also saw the average green loan increase by €1,118 year on year to €24,051, more than twice that of the overall average personal loan value of €10,620," he added.
