Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 4 September 2013

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform

Overview of Financial Sector: Discussion with Ulster Bank

2:25 pm

Mr. Stephen Bell:

I would just say that the target issue was there to drive better payment solutions and not simply to drive litigation.

However, when a target is issued that has significant financial consequences for not hitting it, boards of directors will then do what they must to hit that target. Unfortunately, while I am not pointing any fingers anywhere because we are as responsible as anyone and regrettable as it is, there was a two-year period in which there was no credible threat of consequence and limited ability for banks to contact customers and in which that natural dialogue between bank and customers has broken down. It will take more than a few weeks for that relationship to re-establish. Looking forward, while there is a very high proportion of legal cases in the quarter two target, we do not expect to see that rising significantly through the remaining two quarters. However, we expect to see a very significant increase in the payment relationships that we establish in the rest of the year.

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