Ms Elizabeth Arnett:

I will respond specifically to the question the Deputy asked about power of attorney. We have reviewed approximately 400 cases of very vulnerable customers and power of attorney is an issue that often arises. Where we can and where we are very confident that there is not a customer safety issue or a question of financial vulnerability, we can work with - it would be wrong to use the word "bypass" - the customer and his or her family, and the other bank, to ensure we are moving the money into a single name account, into the other bank, without having to go through the costly process of attaining power of attorney. Equally, we have found customers where power of attorney would have been granted in the UK. We will obviously not make the customer go through that process here. We are taking a pragmatic approach but customer safety is at the heart of it.

The Deputy also asked more broadly about other supports for customers who might have difficulties. One of the issues we came across related to residents in nursing homes. There are approximately 600 nursing homes, private and public, in Ireland, and we have given them the direct contact details of somebody in our local branch or our local area manager, who will work with any patient of a nursing home who needs additional support. A local person can go into a nursing home and resolve the issues. We have a customer support line, which is open seven days a week and which has received approximately 8,000 calls. We have had contact with approximately 70,000 vulnerable customers. We have done a large outreach to the stakeholders, including Safeguarding Ireland, etc., that represent vulnerable customers. They have been helpful in giving us a practical compass as to how to respond to customers without putting obstacles in the way, while also maintaining the absolute integrity of the financial safety and security of the individuals in question. Our colleagues on the front line in our branches have been trained. As I said, representatives of other financial institutions have come into our branches. That has worked quite well in putting branch users in contact with-----