Mr. Fergal O'Leary:

This is more a general comment than one specific to the tracker mortgage issue. One of the main traits of financial institutions that causes great distress to people is that consumers simply cannot talk to somebody in these banks who knows what is in their file. That got a little bit better a couple of years ago. However, a lot of the calls to our helpline are from individuals who are in contact with their bank and find that it does not know who they are, what they are entitled to or what they are owed. That ultimately speaks to an issue around the banks' respect for their customers. A higher standard should be expected in an area where somebody is reliant on his or her family home and the finance that the bank provides to it. It might be a small consideration in the wider scheme of things, but we see it day in, day out. It causes huge distress and frustration to consumers in this country.