Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 5 December 2019

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach

Central Bank: Discussion

Ms Derville Rowland:

To supplement what Mr. Sibley said, a core fundamental expectation of the regulatory framework, for both banks and non-banks, is that as soon as a borrower is at risk or in arrears, their loan owner would communicate with them with a view to sympathetically supporting them to put an arrangement in place that addresses the issue. That is our core expectation. We expect proactive engagement and we want customers to get the message that if they are in arrears or at risk of it, the fundamental first step in addressing this very serious problem is actual engagement. That is our message to lenders, loan owners, and families. The only hope for putting in place a sustainable alternative arrangement is through that effective dialogue. That is a core focus for us, and as Mr. Sibley said, our priority is making sure that all that can be done will be done. While significant progress has been made, this remains an important priority for us to pursue in both the banking and non-banking areas because it is very important for the families who find themselves in these positions.

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