John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The witnesses' organisation sends people into these processes. It is fine that the processes are there, but why does Permanent TSB not act in an upfront way with them? Why does it not try to remove the hardship they have experienced from their lives? Why does the bank not live up to the witnesses' words? There are very fine words in the opening statement. However, the bank's actions, according to what I read in correspondence from its customers, is quite different. Mr. Masding has to understand. The customer whose words I have just read was overcharged by €60,000. That is a huge amount of money for anyone trying to rear a family, keep things together and contend with the various costs of living. At the same time, they are being harassed by Mr. Masding's bank. I do not think he understands that at all.

I have another piece of correspondence from a man who is trying to get redress, having tried before and been refused by Permanent TSB. That is in spite of the letters he has received, which date back to 2006, stating that he could switch to a tracker or fixed rate mortgage at any time. That is what this letter says. It was still ruled that he had not been impacted.

There are other pieces of correspondence here from the same gentleman. It is the same story. How can the bank use words as clear as those in a letter in 2006, and then deny this man the right to be considered as an impacted customer? I just do not get it. Again, I will pass the details of that case to the witnesses after this hearing.

This is not confined to just one or two cases. These are only examples of correspondence. I have done this with every single bank that has come before the committee, and the witnesses are no different from the rest. Permanent TSB has robbed these customers, it has covered it up and it is attempting to do it again. I am not talking about Mr. Masding personally. However, the banking situation in this country, the attitude of the witnesses before this committee and what this process has highlighted leaves an awful lot to be desired.

I will return to the same point as before. It is not acceptable. If Mr. Masding does not understand the difficulties in people's lives, he should get somebody else to do so. Would he like to make any comment on any of that?