Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Michael McGrath raised the issue of receivers. It is an issue that I know has been deeply frustrating for Mr. Beades's organisation and those it represents. It is an area we have raised ourselves with Government officials previously. Mr. Beades said it was very difficult to understand and that many members of the Judiciary do not understand it. With the support of the Chair, if the Chair so wishes, I invite Mr. Beades to submit to the committee a short paper as to what he believes should happen in relation to regulation. What are the areas we need to focus on in terms of receivers? Sometimes, when we deal with issues of repossessions, we sometimes, as a people, focus on the top number, which is the number of houses that have been repossessed, and not on the way they are repossessed. Mr. Beades presentation has shone a light on some of those issues. Given the time constraints, it would be interesting for the committee to look at that area to see if we can move it on. I invite Mr. Beades to speak on that.

I have long been an advocate of public banking. At this committee many years ago, the former Governor of the Central Bank, Mr. Patrick Honohan, acknowledged that there was space for a Sparkassen model and that was something to be welcomed. What engagement has there been with the Central Bank or the Department of Finance to move this forward given that there is somewhat of a commitment in the programme for Government and that the former Governor is on the record as saying a third tier of banking is possible or desirable in the State?