(Video: © TheJournal.ie)

MINISTER RICHARD BRUTON has defended his colleague John Perry over recent allegations of unethical behaviour regarding unpaid business loans, describing his conduct in his government department as “exemplary”.

The Commercial Court made a judgement of €2.47 million against the Minister of State for Small Business and his wife last week over the unpaid loans. It emerged this week that there is evidence of Perry using his ministerial title in a letter to National Irish Bank relating to his financial trouble.

Though Bruton would not be drawn on how appropriate he thought his colleague’s actions were – much as we tried – he said that there are “very clear codes for what ministers can and can’t do”.

“The Minister deserves to be allowed to deal with his very difficult issues and in that respect there are many other businesses that are in the very same boat, trying to cope with extremely difficult economic times,” he said.

Bruton told TheJournal.ie that the junior minister is “absolutely committed and he has been a great colleague for me here in the department”. The minister made it clear that he will “certainly not” be asking Perry to resign over the matter, despite heightened pressure from the opposition.

Watch the clip from the interview above to hear what else the Minister had to say on the topic…

Read: Minister: John Perry is like thousands of small business owners across Ireland>

Read: Government declines to comment on €2.47m judgment against Minister>