Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

My colleague, Senator Conway-Walsh, spoke about the fees and the deferred charge of 20 cent per contactless payment. AIB sought permission from the Central Bank to apply that charge and one can understand why it would request permission to apply a 20 cent charge per contactless payment. While I accept the charge is currently being waived, the bank has permission and can apply it at any time, although I suggest that the bank should not do so. The bank applies a 20 cent charge for direct debit purchases, however, and if one uses one's chip and PIN, there is a 20 cent charge on every transaction. AIB is quite heavy in respect of charges on ATM withdrawals and other areas. What is the justification for a charge of 20 cent for each payment by somebody using a bank card on a chip and PIN transaction?

Unfortunately, because there are so many legacy issues with the bank where we are dealing the prevailing the rates and issues in terms of vulture fund sales, we are not getting opportunity - perhaps that is partly our fault but these are the pressing issues - and the time to discuss the future of the bank and its lending strategy. In his opening statement, Mr. Hunt spoke of the performance of AIB in 2018. He said that new lending had exceeded €12 billion, up 15% on previous years, and that mortgage lending rose 16% to €2.8 billion. Does the bank have targets for 2019? Can he share those or are they sensitive in terms of new lending? Does he expect to see the same targets that were achieved last year? Is the bank on course to meet those targets or are there issues now within the market that are suppressing some lending, whether it is queries regarding Brexit, uncertainty or the current housing market, particularly with the funds coming in and buying many of the available properties?