Banking: Banks have €207bn in foreign exposure

IRISH financial institutions had a €207bn exposure to foreign banks by the end of September, according to data from the Central Bank under Patrick Honohan (right).

The figures show Irish banks held about €10bn in foreign sovereign debt at the end of September, including a combined €683m in Spanish, Portuguese and Greek bonds.

Included in the overall total, a combined €7.5bn exposure to Spain, Portugal and Greece was listed.

These EU countries are viewed as being most likely to default.

Overall, Irish banks' foreign exposure is declining and dropped by €23.8bn, or about 10pc, over the third quarter of the year.