Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We do not have - and I do not have - engagement with those organisations. The Chairman spoke about this matter when I came before the committee in December. These organisations, as is the case with any bank or financial entity regulated in Ireland, should be meeting people in a way that reflects the letter and spirit of the law. I have asked my Department to examine this issue as it has been raised with disturbing frequency throughout November and December. It seems the Chairman and other committee members have examples of this behaviour and they may wish to share them with me, not in this public meeting but afterwards. I expect people to be treated with the respect that should be accorded to them. I know discussions between customers and their banks can be very difficult at times but they can be conducted in a proper manner. That is why I have approached the tracker mortgage issues in the way I have. Both I and the Central Bank have standards that we expect to be met. The leaders of our banks do, I believe, want to see change in their cultures and to renew the way in which customers are dealt with. As Minister for Finance, I see the management of this issue being at the heart of the relationship economies have with banks. I am not satisfied with how this has been handled to date and the tracker mortgage issue is the most glaring example of that.