Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the guests. I note the reference to the gradual reduction in the number of mortgages in arrears. Can Mr. O'Connor give some indication as to the number of settlements reached by way of resolution to the satisfaction of the borrower or by way of repossession and the difference between the two? Mr. O'Connor mentioned that the Insolvency Service of Ireland assisted 3,000 borrowers. Can he indicate whether that was the totality of the number of cases it dealt with and what proportion of those cases was resolved to the satisfaction of the borrower? Will he also give some indication of the extent to which in the course of its work the Insolvency Service of Ireland has monitored the activities of lenders who have persistently pursued borrowers by way of telephone calls, e-mails and letters which would have the effect of intimidating and forcing the borrower into a situation where they were deemed to have voluntarily surrendered their home; in other words, it appears they voluntarily surrendered their home but did not?

To what extent did the Insolvency Service of Ireland examine a case with particular reference to the manner in which the borrowing was entered into in the first instance and the degree to which the lending authority applied good banking practice when awarding a loan which it is now vigorously pursuing in terms of potential repossession?