Small businesses have so far resisted the temptation to move funds to Irish banks after the announcement by the Irish government that it would guarantee savings for a period of two years in the event of a bank collapsing.

According to a survey carried out by the BBC and Unicom, 92% of small businesses have not considered moving deposits.

"Realistically, the government would bail out any banks that look on the brink, and the big and reputable banks will not be allowed to fail," said Iain MacAuley, a spokesman for Unicom.

The British government is under pressure to implement a similar pledge after moves by Greece, Iceland and Germany to guarantee savings.

Another poll by the BBC also found that over a third of small businesses thought the credit crunch had yet to affect their organisation.