Liam Twomey (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Mr. Boucher is consistent in that he continues to push the bank's policy of no write-downs.

Why is Mr. Boucher so intransigent on that issue? What is wrong with saying that the bank is writing down loans? There are a considerable number of borrowers who are in arrears and not co-operating because they feel, because of what they read in the media, that the banks will not give them a fair hearing. Some of the groups last week stated that Mr. Boucher's bank, in comparison to others - they may be wrong - seem to hardball customers more than, maybe, some of the other banks and it is something of a lottery as to whom one has a loan with. Why is there such a problem with saying that the bank writes off sums, that it has written off so much money on home mortgages, it has written off so much money for SMEs that are in difficulty trading and it has written off so much money for SMEs that also happen to be hugely involved in the property sector where their core SME business is good but their property loans are clearly in trouble? Why is there a problem in saying that with those who have buy-to-lets where the bank is receiving the full rent of those properties, the bank has worked out solutions with these individuals where the bank has written off debt? The bank is doing it. I do not understand why there is such a hang-up about saying that it is doing it. If the bank did so rather than always giving this sense that it will provide no write-down and no debt relief, and the borrower pays back everything unless, of course, he or she goes broke, it might give a sense of hope to borrowers that the banks are working on their side to create solutions.