Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I return to Dr. Hunt on the question of cash-back mortgages. He will be aware that cash-back mortgages are used by some lenders. It appears that the interest rate charged is higher on cash-back mortgages. Let us look at this in terms of the two entities over which Dr. Hunt has some responsibility. In EBS, the lowest three-year fixed rate with cash-back is 2.9%. However, in AIB it is 2.35%. Does Dr. Hunt agree with me that the purpose - whether it is intended or not - of cash-back mortgages appears to be to facilitate the application of higher mortgage rates?